Exterior view of Wakefield Tower, Tower of London © Historic Royal Palaces

£4.5 Million Increase to the Heritage Stimulus Fund

Published 16 February 2022

81 projects across 78 historic sites are set to receive a share of £4.5 million from the government’s Culture Recovery Fund, with 33 supported for the first time.

Funding will ensure essential repairs and restoration can be completed and help bring heritage sites back to life by supporting major building programmes, safeguarding jobs and generating employment.

Among those benefiting from this funding boost:

Grade I listed Stonor House will receive funding for repairs to its historic fabric including its brick plinths and window shutters.

English Heritage Trust will carry out work to protect Hurst Castle with permanent revetments and reinstate stalled work to Dover Castle’s Spur Caponier and its mediaeval tunnels.

Interior view of a small cannon pointing out through an opening

Upper floor of the caponier linking the spur at Dover Castle (English Heritage Trust) © Historic England DP047951

Repairs will be carried out to The Apple Store at Blickling Hall has suffered damage caused by failure of external rainwater drainage, and the work will bring the repaired section back into a weathertight condition.

The Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust will be able to continue to work to rescue the Grade II* listed South Wingfield Station, which is one of the earliest railway stations in the world and on our Heritage at Risk register.

View from the roof of Hurst Castle's west wing jutting out into the sea

Hurst Castle's west wing (English Heritage Trust) © Historic England DP149374

National Churches Trust can now repair 17 more churches, while The Churches Conservation Trust will be able to carry out essential structural and roof repairs to four more churches. The funds awarded to Friends of Friendless Churches will go towards the repair of an additional four churches under their care.

Our heritage belongs to all of us and should be accessible to everyone. The government's Heritage Stimulus Fund is making a real difference to historic sites in need of restoration and it's brilliant to see that even more projects, from Essex to Pontefract, will be supported with this additional funding.

Nigel Huddleston, Heritage Minister

We are delighted that further historic sites and projects will benefit from this funding. The £4.5 million will add to the vital work of the Heritage Stimulus Fund in supporting irreplaceable heritage sites and places of worship across the country.

Duncan Wilson, Chief Executive Historic England