VISITORS to one of Southampton's most historic buildings were able to view the results of a £3.1m facelift.

They were given a preview of new exhibitions at the 700-year-old God’s House Tower, a Grade 1-listed building which has been turned into an arts and heritage centre.

The iconic building, once part of Southampton's medieval walls, has been given a complete makeover.

Attractions include new artwork by Keith Harrison, inspired by the sounds of foghorns and ships passing God’s House Tower. Visitors also got to go behind the scenes of Stories Behind the Stones, a four-storey audio visual experience telling the lost stories of the ancient monument.

The ground floor includes the Ken Hellyar model map, which has been restored and brought to life with cutting edge animations.

A whole floor is dedicated to the 14th and 15th century gunners who defended Southampton from attack, and a telescope on the roof of the Tower shows Southampton as it was in 1454.

The Moonlight Pethers, a set of paintings by a family who lived in Southampton in the 18th and 19th century, have been conserved by experts at Southampton City Art Gallery, and are now on show in the Collections Gallery.

The paintings show Southampton and God’s House Tower by moonlight - and bosses say they are “key to understanding the history of the building".

Programme assistant at ‘a space’ arts Mia Delve, said: “The Moonlight Pethers are really beautiful paintings and help put God’s House Tower and its history into context.

Stories Behind the Stones has been designed to take visitors on a journey in time from 1338 when the French attacked Southampton, through the building’s time as a jail and gunnery and up to modern-day Southampton.

Parts of God’s House Tower are already open but a big celebratory weekend is due to take place on November 16-17. Stories Behind the Stones opens on November 2.