The 4,000-year-old Marlborough Mound in Wiltshire, also known as Merlin’s Mound, is set for restoration after Wiltshire Council approved the removal of 20th-century buildings from its side.

Standing 62 ft tall, the mound is second only to nearby Silbury Hill and has legendary associations with Merlin, inspiring the town’s motto referencing his remains.

William the Conqueror once built a castle atop the mound, and in the 1980s, a shell grotto was renovated into its side.

The Marlborough Mound Trust, established in 2000, aims to conserve and restore the monument, with archaeologists keen to examine a cross-section of the mound once the buildings are removed, AOL.com has reported.

While the site is not generally open to the public, an annual open day allows visitors to explore it with tickets.