Areas, buildings and monuments

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

Four young musicians stand together in a large room within Canada House, prior to the restoration.

Young musicians in Canada House, Sheffield. Credit: Vox Media.

Projects

Creating a music hub for Sheffield's next generation

27/01/2025

We have awarded £4.7million to transform Canada House, a Grade II* listed Sheffield landmark, into an innovative centre for music education and performance.

08/03/2023

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

10/10/2024

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.

10/09/2024

A view from above of the water tower in Colchester, standing high above other buildings

Sun rising on Jumbo in Colchester. Photo: Chris Gorman.

News

£27million awarded to save seven lesser-known UK heritage treasures

The newly funded projects span the UK from Bristol to Belfast and Edinburgh to Essex, saving exceptional and much-loved heritage buildings at risk.

14/01/2025

A timber-framed building covered in snow

Cranleigh Cottage Hospital.

Projects

Reviving the first cottage hospital in England

Led by Cranleigh Heritage Trust, this project will transform Cranleigh Cottage Hospital into a multi-purpose heritage and wellbeing community hub.

03/12/2024

An interior view of a church altar with stained glass windows in the background

Interior view of St George’s Church in Jesmond.

News

We’re supporting communities to secure the future of their churches

In our latest round of funding decisions, we’ve awarded £1.25million to eight projects with exciting and innovative people-centred plans.

23/12/2024

A person at an archaeological dig site holds up a piece of stone which has been excavated

DigVentures will engage 4,000 participants to help map archaeological sites and ecological habits in the third phase of its Heritage Innovation Fund project.

News

Heritage organisations to share innovative solutions to workforce challenges

The third phase of our Heritage Innovation Fund is supporting projects across the UK to roll out creative new ways of working.

05/12/2024

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

27/11/2024

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

26/06/2018

A National Lottery scratchcard held in front of a large building with classical architecture and lawn

News

Sign up your project for National Lottery Open Week 2025

It’s a great way to acknowledge your Heritage Fund grant, reach new audiences and benefit from a UK-wide PR campaign.

26/11/2024

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

26/11/2024

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

14/09/2021

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

Projects

Reviving Calverley Old Hall in West Yorkshire

04/10/2024

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

05/03/2020