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Heritage and Craft Workers Across England Given a Helping Hand
Heritage sites across England are receiving a boost of £35 million thanks to the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund.
Administered on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) by Historic England, 142 sites are receiving support, bolstering local economies and supporting jobs across the country.
- 142 historic sites across England are receiving grants worth £35 million through the government’s Culture Recovery Fund
- Funding will help bring heritage sites back to life by paying for vital repairs and major building programmes
- Historic sites set to benefit include Birmingham’s community-run Moseley Road Baths, St Michael Coslany, Norwich, Jane Austen’s House in Hampshire, Leicester Cathedral and the Tower of London
From Leicester to Liverpool, Wellington to Wigan much-loved historic places will benefit from an injection of cash for vital repairs and major building programmes, many of which are currently on the national Heritage at Risk Register.
Money from the government’s £2 billion Culture Recovery Fund is intended to open up heritage and the benefits it brings to everyone, helping to level up and improve life and opportunities for people in places that need it most.
Many of the organisations and sites receiving funding enhance wellbeing and community connection, offering education, development opportunities and jobs in some of the most deprived communities hit hard by the impact of the pandemic.
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From local churches to ancient buildings and landscapes, the UK's unique heritage makes our towns, cities and villages stronger, more vibrant and helps bring communities together.
This latest funding - £35 million from our unprecedented Culture Recovery Fund - will help protect sites including Jane Austen's House and Hampton Court Palace for future generations and help them build back better from the pandemic.
Nadine Dorries, Culture Secretary
Funding from the government’s Culture Recovery Fund is hugely welcome at a time when the people and organisations who look after our vast and varied array of heritage urgently need support to carry out essential repairs. Heritage is a fragile eco-system, with an amazing cast of characters who keep our historic places alive, with specialist skills that take time to learn and experience to perfect. These grants will protect their livelihoods, as they use their expertise to help our heritage survive.
Duncan Wilson, Chief Executive
Historic England
The Culture Recovery Fund continues to support our world leading precious heritage and the expert craft workers that help look after it. From the restoration of the ornate plasterwork at Morecambe Winter Gardens to saving historic features at the former EMD Cinema in Walthamstow and supporting the development of a youth centre in 19th century granary warehouses in Grimsby, I’m delighted that we are safeguarding these historic places for everyone’s benefit.
Lord Mendoza, Commissioner for Cultural Recovery
Funding will be awarded to places precious to local communities
- Birmingham’s community-run Moseley Road Baths – the oldest surviving Grade II* listed swimming baths currently operating in Britain. A grant of £100,000 will help protect the future of this exceptional historic building where generations of Birmingham children have learned to swim, so it can continue to play an important role in the health and wellbeing of the local population.
- Morecambe’s Winter Gardens in Lancashire, run by volunteers through the Winter Gardens Preservation Trust, are receiving £209,000 to help bring it back to life for the community.
- The Grade II* listed Electric Cinema in Harwich, Essex, one of the oldest surviving purpose-built cinemas in England, are receiving more than £151,000 for repairs which will enable it to continue as a community venue, hosting films and live music events.
- In Grimsby, West Haven Maltings on the historic town centre waterfront are receiving a grant of £100,000 at a critical point in the development of the Horizon Youth Zone. Run by national youth charity OnSide, it will involve over 28,000 young people over the course of the project. Grimsby’s Horizon Youth Zone will provide young people with a safe space where they can develop important life skills, gain confidence and have opportunities to try out new activities.
- Hopwood Hall in Rochdale has been vacant and in decline for 30 years but now, thanks to this support, is undergoing significant improvements. The grant of £368,000 will stabilise the building’s structure so students, volunteers and the community can safely use the hall.
- In Portsmouth, an award of over £207,000 to Fort Purbrook will be used to repair the ironwork bridges, enabling a local children’s charity, The Peter Ashley Activity Centre, to continue offering archery, rock climbing, team activities and heritage tours from the Scheduled Monument.
- In Norwich, Grade I listed St Michael Coslany, is a deconsecrated church now home to one of the UK’s leading circus companies, Lost in Translation Circus. The church has remained at the heart of its community by transforming into the Oak Circus Centre, a space for artistic creation, community outreach and education. A grant of £137,500 will be used to repair damage to the building’s historic fabric and also ensure that it can continue to provide social and education activities and contribute to the local economy as a commercial property to hire.
- The Murston Old Church in Sittingbourne will use a grant of £108,000 to create a new community arts and heritage centre.
See the full list of recipients
East Midlands
West Haven Maltings, Grimsby (Horizon (Grimsby) Youth Zone)
South Wingfield Station, South Wingfield (Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust)
Hardwick Hall, Chesterfield (National Trust)
Cathedral Church of St Martin, Leicester, Leicester (The Church of England)
Norton-juxta-twycross, Holy Trinity, Norton-Juxta-Twycross (National Churches Trust)
St James, Skillington, Skillington (National Churches Trust)
All Saints Church, Northampton (National Churches Trust)
Garthorpe St Mary's Church, Leicestershire, Garthorpe (Churches Conservation Trust)
Stamford St John's Church, Lincolnshire, Stamford (Churches Conservation Trust)
Stapleford St Mary Magdalene Church, Leicestershire, Stapleford (Churches Conservation Trust)
Beeby All Saints' Church, Leicestershire, Leicester (Churches Conservation Trust)
Deene St Peter's Church, Northamptonshire, Corby (Churches Conservation Trust)
Saint Barnabas, Nottingham, Nottingham (Catholic Trust)
Haddon Hall, Bakewell (Historic Houses Foundation)
East of England
Electric Palace Cinema, Harwich (Harwich Electric Palace Trust)
Treadwheel Crane, Harwich (Tendring District Council)
St Michael Coslany, Norwich (Norwich Historic Churches Trust)
Anglesey Abbey, Gardens and Lode Mill, Cambridge (National Trust)
Burghley House, Stamford (Treasure Houses of England)
Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Gamlingay, Gamlingay (National Churches Trust)
St Mary’s, Mundon, Maldon (Friends of Friendless Churches)
St Giles’ Church, Tadlow, Tadlow (Friends of Friendless Churches)
St Mary’s, Fordham, Downham Market (Friends of Friendless Churches)
Stonham Parva St Mary the Virgin Church, Suffolk, Stowmarket (Churches Conservation Trust)
St Mary, Great Yarmouth, Great Yarmouth (Catholic Trust)
Our Lady of Consolation and St Stephen, Lynford, near Thetford, Thetford (Catholic Trust)
Hedingham Castle, Halstead (Historic Houses Foundation)
Moggerhanger, Moggerhanger (Historic Houses Foundation)
Holkham Hall, Wells Next the Sea (Historic Houses Foundation)
London
EMD Cinema, Walthamstow, London (London Borough of Waltham Forest)
HM Tower of London, London (Historic Royal Palaces)
HM Tower of London, London (Historic Royal Palaces)
Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey (Historic Royal Palaces)
HM Tower of London, London (Historic Royal Palaces)
Kensington Palace - Orangery, London (Historic Royal Palaces)
HM Tower of London, London (Historic Royal Palaces)
Hampton Court Palace - Little Banqueting Hall, East Molesey (Historic Royal Palaces)
Kensington Palace, London (Historic Royal Palaces)
Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey (Historic Royal Palaces)
St Augustine’s Church, Kilburn, London (The Church of England)
St Gabriel’s Church, Pimlico, Westminster (The Church of England)
St John the Evangelist, Upper Norwood, London (The Church of England)
St Paul’s Bow Common, Tower Hamlets (The Church of England)
St Marylebone Parish Church, Westminster (The Church of England)
Southwark Cathedral, London (The Church of England)
Hertford Union Canal, Waterway Wall Repairs (Tower Hamlets), Tower Hamlets (Canal and River Trust)
North East
Seaton Delaval Hall - Sea Walk Walls, Seaton Sluice (National Trust)
Wallington, Morpeth (National Trust)
Seaton Delaval Hall - Corbels, Seaton Sluice (National Trust)
Newcastle Cathedral, Newcastle upon Tyne (Church of England)
St Chads Church, Gateshead (National Churches Trust)
St Pauls, Alnwick, Alnwick (Catholic Trust)
Raby Castle, Darlington (Historic Houses Foundation)
North West
Morecambe Winter Gardens, Morecambe (Winter Gardens Preservation Trust)
Hopwood Hall, Rochdale (Rochdale Borough Council)
Leigh Spinners Mill, Wigan (Leigh Building Preservation Trust)
Allan Bank, Grasmere (National Trust)
Abbey Gateway, Chester Cathedral, Chester (The Church of England)
Liverpool Cathedral, Liverpool (The Church of England)
Quaker Tapestry Museum, Kendal (National Churches Trust)
St John the Evangelist Church, Workington, Workington (National Churches Trust)
Leeds and Liverpool Canal, Wigan, Lock 73 and Lock 80, Wigan (Canal and River Trust)
Locks 13 & 15 on the Ashton Canal, Clayton, Manchester, Manchester (Canal and River Trust)
Locks 5, 7, 9 and 16 on the Peak Forest Canal, Marple, Stockport, Stockport (Canal and River Trust)
Warburton St Werburgh's Church, Greater Manchester, Warrington (Churches Conservation Trust)
Leighton Hall, Carnforth (Historic Houses)
The Shrine Church of St Walburge, Preston, Preston (Catholic Trust)
St John the Baptist, Rochdale, Rochdale (Catholic Trust)
St Alphonsa Cathedral, (Formerly St Ignatius Church), Preston (Catholic Trust)
Church of the Holy Name of Jesus, Manchester, Manchester (Catholic Trust)
St Albans, Macclesfield, Macclesfield (Catholic Trust)
Muncaster Castle, Muncaster (Historic Houses Foundation)
Levens Hall, Kendal (Historic Houses Foundation)
Browsholme Hall, Clitheroe (Historic Houses Foundation)
South East
Murston Old Church, Sittingbourne (Murston All Saints Trust)
Fort Purbrook, Portsmouth (Peter Ashley Activity Centres Trust)
Dover Castle, Dover (The English Heritage Trust)
Hurst Castle and Lighthouse, Milford on Sea (The English Heritage Trust)
Royal Garrison Church, Portsmouth (The English Heritage Trust)
Cliveden National Trust, Taplow (National Trust)
Queen Charlotte’s Cottage, Kew (Historic Royal Palaces)
Leeds Castle Foundation, Maidstone (Treasure Houses of England)
All Saints Church, Maidstone (The Church of England)
Christ Church and St Mary Magdalen and St Peter and St Paul, St Leonards on Sea (The Church of England)
St Mary’s Church, Brighton (The Church of England)
The University Church of St Mary the Virgin, Oxford (The Church of England)
Trinity Chapel – Canterbury Cathedral, Canterbury (The Church of England)
Minster Church of Sts Thomas, Newport (National Churches Trust)
St Michael and All Angels, High Wycombe (National Churches Trust)
Soulbury Three Locks, Leighton Buzzard (Canal and River Trust)
Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Hardmead, Milton Keynes (Friends of Friendless Churches)
Old St Luke’s, Milland, Milland (Friends of Friendless Churches)
Strict & Particular Baptist Chapel, Upper Winchendon (Friends of Friendless Churches)
Higham St Mary's Church, Kent, Rochester (Churches Conservation Trust)
Chiselhampton, St Katherine's Church, Oxfordshire, Oxford (Churches Conservation Trust)
Stonor Park and Gardens, Oxon (Historic Houses)
Shrine of St Augustine, Ramsgate, Ramsgate (Catholic Trust)
Quarr Abbey, Ryde (Catholic Trust)
Aylesford Priory, Aylesford (Catholic Trust)
St Thomas of Canterbury, Newport, Isle of Wight (Catholic Trust)
Jane Austen's House, Alton (Historic Houses Foundation)
South West
Bristol Temple Church, Bristol (The English Heritage Trust)
Dyrham Park, Dyrham (National Trust)
Wheal Betsy, Tavistock (National Trust)
Dyrham Park - west garden gates, Dyrham (National Trust)
Dyrham Park - church passage reroofing, Dyrham (National Trust)
Newark Park, Wotton-under-Edge (National Trust)
St Petroc’s Church, Bodmin (The Church of England)
St Stephen’s the Martyr Church, Launceston (National Churches Trust)
St Martin, Cheselbourne, Cheselbourne (National Churches Trust)
Church of St Lawrence, Bigbury (National Churches Trust)
St Anietus, St Neot, Liskeard (National Churches Trust)
Marazion, Friends' Meeting House, Marazion (National Churches Trust)
Woodspring Priory, Weston-Super-Mare (The Landmark Trust)
Silverton Park Stables, Silverton (The Landmark Trust)
North Huish St Mary's Church, Devon, Totnes (Churches Conservation Trust)
Saintbury St Nicholas's Church, Gloucestershire, Broadway (Churches Conservation Trust)
Bristol St Thomas's Church, Bristol (Churches Conservation Trust)
Church of Our Lady and St Mary Magdalene, Tavistock, Tavistock (Catholic Trust)
Woodchester Mansion, Nympsfield (Historic Houses Foundation)
Longleat, Warminster (Historic Houses Foundation)
West Midlands
Moseley Road Baths, Birmingham (Birmingham City Council)
Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings, Shrewsbury (Historic England)
Shugborough Estate, Milford (National Trust)
Attingham Park, Atcham (National Trust)
Berrington Hall, Leominster (National Trust)
Lichfield Cathedral, Lichfield (The Church of England)
Worcester Cathedral, Worcester (The Church of England)
Walsall Canal Ryders Green Lock 1 & 3, Walsall (Canal and River Trust)
Weston Hall, Shirnal (Historic Houses)
Harvington Hall, Kidderminster (Catholic Trust)
Shrewsbury Roman Catholic Cathedral, Shrewsbury (Catholic Trust)
Yorkshire & the Humber
Keppel's Column, Wentworth Woodhouse Estate, Rotherham (Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council)
St Saviourgate, York, York (The Methodist Church)
St Mary's Church, Barton-upon-Humber (The Church of England)
Wakefield Cathedral, Wakefield (The Church of England)
The Church of All Saints, Rotherham (Rotherham Minster), Rotherham (The Church of England)
Saltaire United Reform Church, Saltaire (National Churches Trust)
Bingley Five Rise, Bingley (Canal and River Trust)
Cawood Castle, Selby (The Landmark Trust)
Calverley Old Hall, Pudsey (The Landmark Trust)
St Helen’s, Skeffling, Skeffling (Friends of Friendless Churches)
St Lawrence’s, Hutton Bonville, Northallerton (Friends of Friendless Churches)
Wensley Holy Trinity Church, North Yorkshire, Layburn (Churches Conservation Trust)
Wentworth Woodhouse, Rotherham (Historic Houses)
Ripley Castle, Harrogate (Historic Houses)
St Cuthbert, Bradford, Heaton (Catholic Trust)
Everingham Hall Chapel, Pocklington (The Historic Houses Foundation)
Scampston Hall, Malton (The Historic Houses Foundation)
Money from the Heritage Stimulus Fund will also keep our nationally and internationally significant heritage assets in good condition and sustain the skilled craft workforce that looks after them.
The Tower of London, Jane Austen’s House in Hampshire and Muncaster Castle in the Lake District, have been awarded grants through organisations including Historic Royal Palaces, the Historic Houses Foundation and The National Trust.
Funding to major visitor attractions such as Kensington Palace and Leicester Cathedral, where the remains of King Richard III are reburied, is helping to make these attractions as accessible, exciting and inviting to as many people as possible.
A project to install handrails around the Wall Walk at The Tower of London will make navigating the uneven terrain at the centuries-old fortress easier and the site more accessible. At Hampton Court, work on the Little Banqueting Hall and its beautifully painted interior will provide an added attraction for visitors.
The positive power of landscapes, gardens and waterways on mental health and well-being was discovered by many during the pandemic.
A grant of £3 million to the National Trust will fund 15 projects at 12 properties, including helping to bring the Grade II* listed Walled Garden back to life at the Shugborough Estate, in Stafford, and for conservation work on the Sea Walk Wall at Seaton Delaval Hall, Northumberland.
Almost £1.5 million in funding to the Canal and Rivers Trust will pay for repair work on the nation’s waterways. This includes the historic Grade II listed Locks (13 and 15) on the Ashton Canal in inner-city Manchester which has been designated as a country wildlife site.
The latest £35 million funding awards builds on £52 million already allocated from the first round of the Heritage Stimulus Fund, which has supported works at 800 of the country’s treasured heritage assets. This includes Blackpool’s iconic Tower Ballroom, the stunning Georgian landscape at Gibside in Gateshead and the tranquil Thornton-le-Beans Chapel in North Yorkshire.
None of these historic places would have been able to carry out crucial repair work during the pandemic without this support.
