▁the ▁ 3 7 - strong ▁det achment ▁was ▁ret itled ▁the ▁ 1 2 9 ▁Coast al ▁B atter y ▁Royal ▁Art illery , ▁followed ▁by ▁the ▁installation ▁of ▁B of ors ▁anti - air craft ▁guns . ▁A ▁tower , ▁called ▁the ▁Director ▁Tower , ▁was ▁built ▁along ▁the ▁west ▁wing . ▁As ▁the ▁war ▁progress ed , ▁the ▁weapons ▁were ▁stood ▁down ▁and ▁the ▁battery ▁finally ▁closed ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁with ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁weapons ▁being ▁removed ▁after ▁the ▁war . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁the ▁whole ▁of ▁Hur st ▁Castle ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁guard ians hip ▁of ▁the ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Works . ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s , ▁the ▁additional ▁concrete ▁protection ▁added ▁to ▁the ▁south ▁bast ion ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 8 0 s ▁was ▁removed . ▁When ▁the ▁government ▁ag ency ▁English ▁Heritage ▁was ▁formed ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 3 , ▁it ▁took ▁over ▁the ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁castle . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁the ▁Fri ends ▁of ▁Hur st ▁Castle ▁took ▁on ▁the ▁day - to - day ▁management ▁of ▁the ▁castle , ▁with ▁English ▁Heritage ▁continu ing ▁to ▁run ▁other ▁aspects ▁of ▁the ▁site . ▁As ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁the ▁castle ▁received ▁around ▁ 4 0 , 0 0 0 ▁visitors ▁a ▁year . ▁The ▁castle ▁is ▁protected ▁under ▁UK ▁law ▁as ▁an ▁ancient ▁monument . ▁The ▁High ▁L ighth ouse ▁built ▁in ▁ 1