HUNDREDS of visitors took a trip back through time when Kidderminster's oldest building opened its doors on Saturday.

Owner Richard Davies and members of the town's civic society were on hand to answer questions from a steady stream of people interested in finding out more about Caldwall Castle.

"It went extremely well," said Mr Davies, a 50-year-old Worcester businessman. "We had over 300 people of all ages and they had plenty of questions." Richard Davies in the vaulted undercroft.

Mr Davies has produced a brochure detailing the history of the medieval tower, the only part left of a moated castle dating back to 1347 on a site occupied since Roman times. It has been home to many owners, including friends of Henry V, the Civil War Royalist Robert Clare and members of the Wyntour family, notorious as Gunpowder plotters.

"The brochure helped us deal with historical questions and meant we could answer queries about the rooms and the objects inside them," said Mr Davies, who has furnished the tower in period style. One of the three principal rooms, the Solar Room, features replica shields with the coats of arms of previous inhabitants and visitors could also see the domed undercroft - the only one of its kind in Britain.

Mr Davis is now working on plans for a higher wall to stop the threat of vandalism. He is also planning more events in the future.

"I believe the castle belongs as much to the people of Kidderminster as it does to me and I would like to open it more, perhaps to school groups or for some civic functions," he said.

He plans to hold another open day in the summer.