Boston Castle, occupying one of the highest points in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, has received a £590,000 Heritage Lottery Fund grant.

Semi-derelict and out of use for the past 10 years, the Grade II listed castle originally dates back to 1775 and was built by the Earl of Effingham as a hunting lodge. It is situated in the centre of 23-acre Boston Park, long popular for walking activities and its spectacular views. With work due to start in the spring, the castle will be fully restored and a new low level extension built. The site will become a visitor centre from which people can explore the heritage of the Victorian park and town below. It will feature exhibition areas, an education room, toilets, a function room, a first-floor viewing platform and an outside café terrace. The battlements will be reinstated in original salvaged stone, and the windows repaired with 18th century designs.

Fiona Spiers, head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in the Yorkshire and the Humber region, said: "The grant is a welcome New Year boost for Rotherham residents who can now look forward to a revitalised Boston Castle. The project, totalling £1.7m, will see Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council transform the Castle and its surrounding landscape into an attractive and accessible experience for everyone to enjoy."