The history of Thornbury Castle is to be laid bare in a new book.

Thornbury Castle Revisited will tell the story of the historic building from its origins up to present day.

It has been produced by Thornbury & District Museum and is a revised version of a book first published six years ago.

Written by Tony Cherry in association with Meg Wise, from Thornbury and District Heritage Trust, the book features new stories and previously unpublished pictures.

Thornbury Castle was built by the third Duke of Buckingham, Edward Stafford.

He set about building a property befitting his status in the early 16th century, creating a building described by English Heritage as ‘one of the finest examples of Tudor domestic architecture in the country’.

The castle was never finished because Buckingham was executed for treason by Henry VIII in 1521.

As the king had failed to produce a son and heir at that point, Edward Stafford, who had a son and grandsons, was seen by some as a possible heir to the throne.

Henry kept the castle for himself and visited with second wife Anne Boleyn in 1535.

Several of Buckingham’s family were also beheaded by Henry VIII.

The new book details these deaths as well as some of those which occurred in the early fourteenth century within the Manor of Thornbury when the Black Death ravaged the country.

The peasantry of Thornbury was amongst the first in England to be struck down - over 60 per cent died within a six-month period.

Other owners of the castle also have their stories told in the book. This includes Edward’s son Henry who was given the castle in 1554 by Queen Mary.

Thornbury Castle Revisited is being launched with a book signing at the castle on July 9.

Free tickets to the event are available from Thornbury & District Museum. The museum is open 2-4pm Tuesday to Friday and 10am-4pm on Saturdays.

The book will be available to buy from the museum for £20 from July 10.