A HISTORIC Hampshire castle has been brought to life thanks to new revolutionary technology from Google.

Portchester Castle is one of 29 sites in the country which are now available to view in digital form thanks to a new partnership between the technology giants Arts and Culture arm and English Heritage.

Google’s technology uses a combination of Google Street View and gigapixel cameras allowing people to enjoy a high resolution virtual tour of the castle which includes 360 degree views.

The tour, which also includes previously hard-to-see areas of the 17th century castle is aimed at an international audience who might not be able to see the Castle in person.

The virtual tour allows people to use their mouse cursor to explore the historic site which tells the story of how the castle was built by the Romans in the late 3rd century AD and how the site was used as an prisoner-of-war depot until the end of the Napoleonic wars.

Among the other sites to be used in the country include the iconic art at Kenwood House in Hampstead Heath and Tintagel Castle in Cornwall, the place where King Arthur was believed to have been conceived.

The partnership is the first time in which Google Arts & Culture have worked with the heritage organisation, and the first time it has worked with an institution covering multiple sites.

Matt Thompson, head of collections at English Heritage, said: “In our new role as a charity, English Heritage is looking for innovative ways to open our sites to the public and share their fascinating stories with them.

“Now thanks to Google Arts & Culture’s technology, we’ve been able to bring people closer to our historic masterpieces than ever before, open up our storehouses to a global audience, and showcase hitherto unseen artefacts including Portchester Castle.”

Amit Sood, director of Google Arts & Culture, added: “England has such a rich, diverse, and interesting heritage - spanning literally centuries.

“English Heritage has done such an amazing job in preserving iconic art and sites, allowing us a glimpse into what life was like in a different time.

“Google Arts & Culture are proud to partner with English Heritage and use the power of technology to share these wonders and stories with a global audience.”