STONEMASONS have begun work on one of Richmond's oldest monuments, the Greyfriars tower.

The £40,000 restoration project will strengthen the structure and open up the area to allow the public to walk under the archways.

Experts say the 15th century tower is unique in that it survived the stone-robbing following the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII.

The tower originally formed part of an expansion of the friary established by Franciscan monks in 1257.

The restoration project went ahead following a successful bid by Richmondshire District Council for European funding and with financial help from the town council. Work began earlier than expected after plans to build disabled access to the Friary gardens was abandoned following the discovery of human remains buried in the grounds surrounding the tower and the site of a former church.

The Friary site is of great archaeological importance. A geophysical survey in January showed substantial remains only a few feet beneath the surface. They included part of the cloisters and a complex which housed a church, guest house, wash room, study, dormitory, refectory and parlour.

The Franciscans chose to establish themselves in centres of population rather than in the isolated spots favoured by the Cistercian order, leading to more pillaging of stone when the buildings were abandoned.

The most northerly of the Franciscan houses, the Richmond site was built on land donated by the lord of Middleham, Ralph Fitz Randall, and thrived until the dissolution, which hit the town in 1538.

The tower later became a romantic ruin in the grounds of the private house now known as the Friary, which later became a school and is now the site of the Victoria hospital. The tower is now the responsibility of the district council.

Stonemasons began on Monday despite torrential rain, and work is expected to last until Christmas.

Coun Campbell Dawson, chairman of the district council planning committee, said: "Richmond is rightly proud of its rich architectural heritage which provides us with a very strong link to our ancestors, right back to the Dark Ages.

"I am delighted we have been able to access the money we need to commission this extensive repair work, not just to safeguard one of our most precious monuments for future generations, but also to allow people living in Richmond now to really make the most of their environment and learn more about the rich history of the town."

When restoration and footpath work is complete, the council hopes to attract further grants to install interpretation boards and floodlights