HAY Castle is lowering its drawbridge on Saturday and offering free tours to visitors as part of Hay History Weekend.

Part of a national, month-long event – Open Doors – Saturday will give history buffs and young historian alike, a great chance to take a look at the castle’s medieval keep and ruin, Jacobean Manor and ancient oak doors.

As well the tours, which will take place every hour, visitors can witness first-hand the techniques that heritage stone carvers and lime-pointers use to maintain the building.

Demonstrations will take place in the castle’s workshops, while there will also be stands from Cadw, Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, The National Trust, Ty-Mawr, Tools for Self Reliance Cymru and Demaus Building Diagnostics.

This year, Hay History Weekend will have a wartime theme, with a full programme of talks, workshops, events and screenings.

It will include a poster trail of Historic Hay and a poetry event with Welsh poet, author and scriptwriter, Owen Sheers.

Open Doors is a project which gives the Welsh public the chance to explore historic buildings and sites, especially those not normally open to the general public.

For more information about, visit www.cadw.wales.gov.uk/opendoors and to find out more about Hay History Weekend visit http://hayhistorygroup.co.uk/history-weekend/ .