Legend has it that Hay Castle was built in a day by giantess Matilda de Braose – quite a feat – and her name rightly remains closely associated with the site. The remaining Norman keep was built in the 12th century and this now houses a fantastic new Imagemakers-designed animation that is projected onto the stone walls of the cellar. This sets the scene for visitors and takes them through an exciting 900-year story of structural change, power struggles and battles and Hay becoming the world’s first and greatest ‘book town’. It culminates in the restoration and re-opening of the Castle.
Working closely with the Hay Castle Trust, Imagemakers designed and installed a multi-faceted scheme that is delighting visitors and sits well within the beautiful historic Medieval, Jacobean and Victorian spaces. From an interactive Matilda Story table inspired by pop-up books and a tactile bronze map of the Marcher castles of the Wales-England border to a recreation of the King of Hay, Richard Booth’s study, the scheme is hugely varied. Other features include an etched glass balustrade of Hay Castle characters, touchscreens giving access to historic images and films, a fun animated donation point and site-wide orientation and interpretation signage.