Revealing History Through Landscape
A Project By: Urban Edge Architecture
Location – Newark-on-Trent, United Kingdom
A landscape-led regeneration project reconnecting heritage, community and the River Trent
Project Summary:
Urban Edge is leading the detailed design and delivery of the Newark Castle and Gardens transformation, an ambitious heritage-led project that will revitalise one of Nottinghamshire’s most treasured landmarks. Through enhanced gardens, new public spaces, improved accessibility and carefully framed views, the scheme is creating a vibrant destination that celebrates Newark’s rich history while supporting contemporary community use.
Project Detail:
For almost 900 years, Newark Castle has stood proudly at the entrance to Newark-on-Trent, overlooking the River Trent and serving as one of the town’s most recognisable landmarks. Rich in history and deeply valued by local residents, the castle remains a defining feature of Newark’s identity. Today, an ambitious regeneration project is ensuring that this remarkable heritage asset continues to inspire future generations.
Urban Edge has been appointed to lead the detailed design and delivery stages of the Newark Castle and Gardens project, working alongside an experienced multidisciplinary team to transform both the castle and its surrounding landscape. Supported by funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Newark & Sherwood District Council and the Government’s Towns Fund initiative via Newark Town Board, the project represents a significant investment in the future of this historic site.
While the restoration and enhancement of the castle itself forms a central part of the scheme, the surrounding landscape plays an equally important role in shaping the visitor experience. The gardens are being carefully reimagined to create a welcoming, sustainable and biodiverse environment that complements the restored castle while providing valuable public space for residents and visitors alike.
At the heart of the landscape strategy is a desire to strengthen the relationship between the castle, the town and the River Trent. The design seeks to reveal new perspectives and encourage visitors to engage more deeply with the site’s unique setting. Through the introduction of carefully considered public spaces, visitors will be able to experience the castle from a variety of viewpoints while enjoying enhanced connections to the wider landscape beyond.
One of the defining features of the project is the creation of new terraced lawns and gardens. Responding to the site’s topography, these spaces have been designed to frame views of both the castle and the river, creating opportunities for relaxation, reflection and community activity. The terraces provide places where visitors can pause and appreciate the historic significance of the site while reconnecting with the landscape that has shaped Newark’s history for centuries.
Flexibility has been a key consideration throughout the design process. Alongside supporting everyday use, the landscape has been designed to accommodate events, performances and community gatherings. These multifunctional spaces will help establish Newark Castle Gardens as a vibrant destination throughout the year, ensuring the site remains active and relevant while respecting its historic character.
The enhancement of the historic gardens also presents an opportunity to strengthen biodiversity and improve the long-term resilience of the landscape. As with all successful landscape architecture projects, the aim is not simply to improve appearance but to create lasting social, environmental and economic value. By balancing heritage conservation with contemporary placemaking, the scheme demonstrates how landscape-led design can unlock the full potential of historic sites.
The project also reflects Urban Edge’s integrated approach to design. Landscape architecture forms a key part of the practice’s multidisciplinary offer, working alongside architecture and planning expertise to create cohesive, context-sensitive solutions. This collaborative way of working ensures landscape considerations are embedded throughout the design process, resulting in stronger outcomes and more successful places.
As work progresses on site, the vision is becoming increasingly tangible. The construction of the path network is now underway, helping to establish the framework that will guide visitors through the gardens and connect key areas of the site. At the same time, planting beds and borders are beginning to take shape, introducing the colour, texture and biodiversity that will define the character of the renewed landscape.
These developments mark an exciting stage in the transformation of Newark Castle Gardens. While the castle remains the focal point, the surrounding landscape is evolving into a destination in its own right: a place where heritage, nature and community come together. Once complete, the project will create a revitalised landmark that celebrates Newark’s history, strengthens community connections and provides an inspiring setting for generations to come.
Join Our Growing Landscape Team
Projects such as Newark Castle Gardens demonstrate the important role landscape architecture plays in shaping meaningful places. As our portfolio continues to grow across heritage, residential, commercial and public realm sectors, Urban Edge is currently seeking a talented Landscape Architect to join our employee-owned practice. If you are passionate about creating high-quality, sustainable places and would like to be part of a collaborative multidisciplinary team, we would love to hear from you.
