Industrial, maritime and transport
Casting a bell at Taylor's Bellfoundry. Photo: Katelyn Collins.
Celebrating the innovative buildings, transport and technology that helped shape the modern world.
Since 1994 we have awarded £630million to 1,600 industrial, maritime and transport projects across the UK.
We want to help more people conserve their local industrial heritage and pass on skills to younger generations.
What do we support?
Projects we fund include:
- printing presses
- pumping engines
- windmills
- historic ships
- locomotives
- natural landscapes transformed by industry
Project ideas
Our funding could help people:
- uncover and record people’s memories of our industrial past
- give a disused site a new purpose
- restore and maintain operating machinery
- reveal the history of industry in your area
- explore the nation's network of canals
- provide staffed visitor facilities and learning resources
- help young people learn new skills and care for their heritage
See the stories and projects below for more inspiration.
How to get funding
If you have an idea for a project, we would love to hear from you.
News
Forth wildlife, communities and heritage set to benefit from major funding award
The Inner Forth Landscape Initiative (IFLI) will use the funding over the next four years to help protect historic sites, connect fragmented wildlife habitats, improve access routes, and provide learning and volunteering opportunities. The IFLI will run in an area stretching from Bo’ness and Rosyth
Marion Blockley
News
HLF West Midlands welcomes new committee members
The HLF Committee for the West Midlands is made up of leading figures in the heritage sector across the region chosen for their wide range of experience and local knowledge. Responsible for making decisions on regional applications to the Fund from £100,000 to £2million, the committee are supported
News
HLF South West welcomes new committee member
The HLF Committee for the South West is made up of leading figures in the heritage sector across the region chosen for their wide range of experience and local knowledge. Responsible for making decisions on regional applications to the Fund from £100,000 to £2million, the committee are supported by
News
HLF London welcomes new chair and members to committee
As Chief Executive of the West India Committee, a Royal Charter charity; a Governor of the Museum of London and a Fellow of King’s College, London, Blondel will bring a diverse range of expertise to her new role. Two further new appointments to the committee have been named as Jenny Cousins and
News
HLF East Midlands welcomes new committee chair and member
Their appointment takes effect on 1 April and their first meeting in June 2014. The HLF Committee for the East Midlands is made up of leading figures in the heritage sector across the region chosen for their wide range of experience and local knowledge. Responsible for making decisions on regional
News
HLF East of England welcomes new committee member
Joff has extensive experience working within the arts and heritage sector delivering programmes for learners of all ages and backgrounds. He is currently ACE Bridge programme manager for Norfolk and Suffolk working to connect young people with great arts, heritage and culture. The HLF Committee for
News
World’s first iron-hulled boat comes home to the Monkland Canal
The full scale replica of the Vulcan, the world’s first iron-hulled boat, arrived at Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life in Coatbridge today (Thursday 27 March) and will soon capture the imaginations of visitors as a major heritage attraction. Named for the Roman god of forge and fire, the
News
Ed Vaizey opens London Museum of Water and Steam
Following its £2.3million re-development grant, London’s greatest Victorian steam pumping station reopens under a new name. The London Museum of Water and Steam opens to the public on Saturday 22 March, (following a press launch on Friday 21 March), as part of the UN designated World Water Day
News
Bradford YMCA to investigate Tea and Remembrance
The project will focus on the positive impact the YMCA made during the war through the provision of tea huts, providing much needed refreshment and respite for the troops. The project will run for a year and will have a 'home base' at Culture Fusion, on Thornton Road in Bradford’s city centre.Young
News
Tinsley Heritage and Environment Celebration
The team behind the Heritage Lottery funded ‘Exploring Tinsley Manor’ project, is inviting Tinsley folk to help them celebrate the project's first birthday with the first Tinsley Heritage and Environment Celebration on March 7th from 10am till 1pm in the Tinsley Green Centre. All are excited about
News
Investing £5million in UK’s natural heritage
These projects will bring together a variety of partners to protect and nurture some of our most precious and vulnerable habitats and species and are part of a wider package of £16m of HLF support, also announced today. Carole Souter, Chief Executive of HLF, said: “The Heritage Lottery Fund is one
News
Facelift for Bridgewater Canal
The historic canal, which opened in 1761 as Britain’s first commercial canal, is to undergo a major facelift. Salford City Council has been awarded a major slice of the total project costs from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) who today confirmed a £3.6m grant to regenerate nearly five miles of canal