CONSTRUCTION work has begun on one of the city’s most historic buildings.

Directors at God’s House Tower were awarded £1.7 million in December 2014, as well as an extra cash boost of £300,000 in March this year for work to turn the former archaeology museum into a brand new arts and heritage centre.

As reported south coast contractors Mountjoy have been appointed to work on the 700-year-old ancient monument – which was once the city jail.

Now in a major refurbishment, the main entrance to the new arts and centre heritage will be on Town Quay, in a bid to entice visitors to the port into the building – where they will be greeted with a cafe and view of the walls up into the ceiling.

Now programmes manager Tony Spencer says he is “very excited” by the start of the work.

Speaking to the Echo, he said: “I’m really excited that work has started. We’ve got a vibrant contemporary art programme coming up.

“This is unique in Southampton. We have got something in a historical building telling the story of Southampton but linked to the past with contemporary art.

“It’s a historic building so we have to be sensitive to what’s inside.

“We have got a new gallery in Studio 144 but this is a building for the city’s history.

“As you’re sitting having a coffee you’ll be able to look right up into the tower walls.

“I think that will make it really exciting for local residents – people who don’t know the story of medieval Southampton.

“It’s going to be a bit like the new part of Westquay, the old and the new.”

Duncan O’Rourke, building projects director for Mountjoy, added: “We are delighted to be involved in such a prestigious project which will ultimately make use of an historic landmark and bring benefits for the city, its visitors and ‘a space’ arts.”

Conservation work will be undertaken to the building, as well as removing modern internal walls, installing a lift to make to the building accessible, and restoring the original doorway on Town Quay Road.

The revamp is being carried out in a bid to bring a new lease of life to the monument.

Once complete, the building will include new exhibition spaces, a permanent exhibition of the building’s history located in the tower itself, a new ground floor café/bar and access to the rooftop views of Southampton Water.

There will also be a collections gallery that display works from the city’s nationally designated collection, that depict God’s House Tower.