The Heritage Lottery Fund has given the green light to Abbotsford House to work up plans to restore this exceptional historic home of Sir Walter Scott. Development funding of £144,000 was awarded by HLF to help them work up these plans.

The HLF first-round pass* means that Abbotsford House can now progress to the second stage of the HLF application process. They have up to two years to submit more detailed plans and apply for the £4,448,000 of HLF support that they are seeking for their project. 

Commenting on the decision, Colin McLean, said: “Sir Walter Scott was one of Scotland’s greatest writers and arguably the most influential Scot that has ever lived. Abbotsford was his creation, the landscape, the architecture, the interiors and they remain as he left it although now in serious need of repair. There is no question that this great heritage site needs to be saved. The hard work starts now as to how that is done and the Heritage Lottery Fund is pleased to be able to help by awarding development funding today.”  

Notes to editors

* A first-round pass means the project meets our criteria for funding and we believe it has potential to deliver high-quality benefits and value for Lottery money. The application was in competition with other supportable projects, so a first-round pass is an endorsement of outline proposals. However, a first-round pass does not guarantee the applicant will receive a grant as the second-round application will still be in competition for funding, and no money is set aside at this stage. Having been awarded a first-round pass, the project now has up to two years to submit fully developed proposals to compete for a firm award. On occasion an applicant with a first-round pass will also be awarded development funding towards the development of their scheme.

Further information

Shiona Mackay HLF Scotland on 01786 870 638 / 07779 142 890 or Katie Owen, HLF Press Office on 020 7591 6036 or katieo@hlf.org.uk

Karen Findlay, Abbotsford House on 01578 722690 / 07803 945043 or Karen@artisanpr.co.uk