A HISTORIC site in Oxford is being relaunched with a new name and fresh branding.

Oxford Castle will today raise its flag and reveal its new title: Oxford Castle and Prison.

The site was opened as a visitor attraction by the Queen in 2006 and until now has operated under the name Oxford Castle Unlocked.

Saffron Bowdler, marketing manager at Oxford Castle and Prison, explained the change.

She said: “We wanted our name to reflect the whole experience of exploring our site. Yes, this is a castle but it also served as a prison for centuries.

“Some of the cells were used to detain criminals right up until 1996 and many of the site’s most fascinating stories come from the men and women who were incarcerated here.

“Our site is unique because it combines ancient history with contemporary social history. This subtle change to our name brings the prison part of our tale to the fore.”

The signage and website have been updated over the past few weeks.

A new name is just the first of a number of planned developments to the historic attraction. There will also be updates to displays and guided tours over the next few months.

For more see oxfordcastleandprison.co.uk.