Maze to Medieval Hall: Muncaster Castle's newest attraction

The Weapons Hall is an indoor training ground where visitors will tackle medieval weapons skills under the guidance of experts.

It has purpose-built ranges for archery, crossbows and axe throwing along with a sword skills cage and a miniature simulated “jousting” arena.

Archery is now on offer at The Weapons Hall (Image: Newsquest)

The work on the new attraction only started in January after the maze closed, and is now completed ahead of schedule.

Owner Ewan Frost-Pennington said: "It has been a really quick turnaround, we are super impressed with the building work.

"They have achieved a massive amount to a very high standard."

The idea to curate the medieval themed attraction came about after the team at Muncaster noted its popularity in America, where they also perform jousting.

However, Euan was adamant he wanted the attraction to continue to be immersive. He said: "I prefer having a go at doing it myself. I would far rather fight someone with a fake sword than watch someone else trained to do it."

A team of experts demonstrate the axe throwing technique (Image: Newsquest)

The team at Muncaster wanted to create experiences not just for children, which the maze was catered for, but for the whole family.

They said: "We were good at catering for older couples with the grounds, and young families with the maze, but we have never been very good catering for people in between.

"This whole move is so we can be a great asset for this group that isn’t often catered for. We’ve got something really cool where you can take your mates."

Have your go at Jousting at The Weapons Hall (Image: Newsquest)

Warwick Castle, which is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country, has a similar offering. But it is run by Merlin and does not feature interactive activities.

The team said: "We are doing this on a minimal budget to try and change the balance for the castle."

Walking into the building which was previously the maze, many will appreciate the use of space and the complete transformation it has had. The space has been completely redesigned with wood sourced directly from the castle grounds, and is wet weather proof for Cumbria's pesky climate.

Euan said the team "wanted to innovate and move forward" and that they have!

The sword fighting arena with the axe throwing in the background (Image: Newsquest)

The new Weapons Hall also means that Muncaster Castle are able to employ more people, helping the local area further.

However, all this excitement has not stopped the team at Muncaster from further developments. They understand that Halloween was an incredibly popular time for the Maze and have new plans. Euan said: "We don't want to lose the attraction now that we have converted so we have ideas for this."

Further developments include updating the stable hand area, and investing in the food offerings at Muncaster, as well as creating a 'Mini Muncaster' for the children to enjoy.