Here's a neat Minecraft model restoring a ruined castle to its former glory

A re-creation of Corfe Castle in Dorset England using Minecraft

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Xbox has partnered with preservation society National Trust and some British creatives to make a Minecraft model of Corfe Castle. The rather complex, impressive build was sponsored by Xbox UK as part of the National Trust's festival of archaeology, encouraging people to create "their own version of the ruin using the foundations."

To that end, this first build was done by a YouTube video maker named Grian, whose work is highlighted in the video above and on YouTube. By working off of historical photos and consulting with an expert, then combining Minecraft build expertise with a bit of artistic license, Grian creates a build that highlights the most interesting features of Corfe Castle, like its historical octagonal tower and miniature palace, or "Gloriette." Which, as I understand, is kind of like a medieval kingly version of the Victorian folly.

"Grian has done a brilliant job restoring Corfe Castle to its former glory. He not only accomplished an accurate recreation of the various historical styles within the castle grounds, but also combined it with his own imagination. We cannot wait to see more inspirational designs by more young minds," said Martin Papworth, an archaeologist at the National Trust.

You can download Corfe's ruins yourself by checking out the Minecraft server corfe.ruinsreimagined.com. The ruins will also be made as a package for Minecraft: Education Edition for use in classrooms. You can read more on Microsoft's website.

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Jon Bolding is a games writer and critic with an extensive background in strategy games. When he's not on his PC, he can be found playing every tabletop game under the sun.