ONE of Worcestershire's main tourist attractions is undergoing a £1.4 million renovation to bring the history of its past to life.

The Commandery in Worcester is the subject of a Heritage Lottery Fund project which aims to revitalise the area as a heritage site of national interest.

Event Communications will be peeling back the layers of The Commandery's history - telling the story of a building, which has been at the heart of the city for almost 2000 years.

Commandery manager Amanda Lunt said: "We are very excited to be working with such a creative team. The quality of work they have produced all over the world is now coming to Worcester."

The building not only tells the history of Worcester, with links to the city's Cathedral but it also portrays England's growth as a country. Visitors to the new Commandery will act as house detectives learning about each of the six key periods in its life.

The aim is to bring The Commandery's past back to life utilising characters who occupied the building, their personal and soundscapes to transport visitors directly back to the past.

The Commandery was originally founded as St Wulstan's hospital, a place where the sick and infirm could receive aid. It was then acquired by the Wylde family, and was transformed from a hospital into an extravagant family home.

The site was then used as a Royalist headquarters and was the nerve centre for the Battle of Worcester.

In 1764 The Commandery was sold to the Dandridge family and was divided into smaller parts. Later the Blind School was established on site and which was entirely unique at the time. It was then sold to the Littlebury family who were the first people to open the magnificent are a to the public.

Visitors will be able to explore the whole of the site or choose a period in the building's history which will come to life along the tour.