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Areas, buildings and monuments

Areas, buildings and monuments

People walking up steps to a castle with turret
Lincoln Castle. Credit: Colin McLean Photography
Safeguarding our historic buildings, monuments and archaeology for future generations.

Thanks to National Lottery players, since 1994 we have awarded £3.3billion to more than 10,300 area, historic building and monument projects across the UK. See stories from projects we've funded below.

We provide grants for heritage projects from £10,000–£10million to ensure that heritage is valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future.

These projects can help to sustain jobs, support economic growth and protect heritage at risk. They can also bolster local pride, nurture traditional craft skills and help communities enjoy and make use of the places they care about.

What do we support?

Projects we fund include:

  • investment in places of worship
  • conservation and repairs to historic buildings and places
  • finding appropriate new uses for historic buildings
  • community archaeology projects

Places of worship

Places of worship are among the UK’s oldest and most cherished historic buildings. We want to help congregations become truly resilient and their buildings genuinely sustainable.

Places of worship we fund

Project ideas

Our funding could help people:

  • repair and transform a historic building at the heart of their community
  • help volunteers learn building conservation skills
  • rescue a building on a Buildings at Risk register
  • undertake a community archaeology project
  • regenerate a historic town centre or high street
  • look after and learn about a local war memorial

How to get funding

Our National Lottery Heritage Grants programme is open for applications.

Find out more and apply
a group of people wearing hard hats and high-vis jackets stand inside the building looking at conservation works
Young people from Dover take part in a hard-hat tour to see wall paintings and stained-glass conservation in progress. Photo: Maison Dieu.

Projects

Reawakening Dover's Maison Dieu

This internationally significant NeoGothic building will be accessible to the public for the first time in its 800-year history.

A room with a high vaulted ceiling, a large glitter ball and trestle style tables. The room is warmly lit. Large glass doors look out onto a courtyard.
The newly restored dining hall and courtyard at The Buttermarket. Credit: Sam Sabatelli, for Redruth Revival CIC.

Projects

Rediscovering the market town of Redruth

A cluster of Grade II listed buildings, collectively known as the Buttermarket, has been transformed into a thriving cultural and community hub.

The exterior of Calverley Old Hall following the restoration.
The exterior of Calverley Old Hall following the restoration. Credit: The Landmark Trust.

Projects

Reviving Calverley Old Hall in West Yorkshire

Conservation of the medieval building along with contemporary design has brought the site into new use as self-catering accommodation and a community space.

An Asian brass band, with musicians and dancers dressed in colourful clothes, walking down a path in front of a stately home
An Indian brass band was part of the celebrations at Wentworth Woodhouse's outdoor family event, WE Wonder, in 2023.

Stories

Turning a stately home into a ‘house of opportunity’

How one project has successfully engaged its community with their local heritage and created benefits beyond just visiting.
Three people standing at a gate. Behind them are white farm buildings. They are holding a blues circular The NAtional Lottery Heritage FUnd sign
Heritage Fund support for Saving the Home of Auld Lang Syne. Photo: Ian Findlay/Robert Burns Ellisland Trust.

Projects

Saving the Home of Auld Lang Syne

Around the world people come together singing Auld Lang Syne. National Lottery funding is helping to secure the future of the Scottish farm where Robert Burns wrote it.

People sitting on deck chairs wearing party hats in front of Birnbeck Pier
Celebrations are underway as we announce £10m of funding to bring the Grade II* listed Birnbeck Pier back to life (left to right: Gill Crocker, Marni Eddins and Lou Eddins). Credit: Chris Gorman/Big Ladder.

News

£10million awarded to help save Birnbeck Pier

The unique Victorian landmark has been given a lifeline on its 160th anniversary, thanks to National Lottery players.
An auditorium full of people watching Wynne Evan’s Townhall Showdown
Newbridge Memo welcomed BBC Radio Wales to host Wynne Evan’s Townhall Showdown. Credit: Newbridge Memo.

Projects

Newbridge’s arts and heritage hub safeguarded for the community

This historic miners’ institute, with its 1920s Art Deco theatre, ballroom and versatile spaces now hosts a variety of activities that benefit local people.

A front of a red brick building with many chimneys on top of the fish smokehouse
The front of Peterson's following restoration. Credit: The Peterson's Project.

Projects

Securing a future for iconic buildings at Grimsby Dock

The Peterson’s Project has restored two important buildings of fishing heritage to their former glory following National Lottery support.

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