Areas, buildings and monuments

Safeguarding our historic buildings, monuments and archaeology for future generations.

Since 1994 we have awarded £3.2billion to 10,200 area, historic building and monument projects across the UK.

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

For more inspiration, see the stories below or browse projects we've funded.

How to get funding

Our National Lottery Heritage Grants programme is open for applications.

Find out more and apply

Alice Billings House before the project starts.

Projects

Creating Futures at Alice Billings House

After being vacant for over 10 years, Creative Land Trust has acquired the buildings and will bring them back to life with the help of heritage architects Purcell.

12/09/2023

The exterior of a historic building with scaffolding on it.

Work underway at Priory House. Photo: Dunstable Town Council.

Projects

Priory House, Dunstable - Repair and Conservation

Together with Historic England, we are supporting the repair and restoration of the Grade II* listed Priory House in Dunstable.

14/09/2023

A visitor listens through an exhibition headset in front of a display of information about faith

The Faith Museum, Bishop Auckland.

Projects

Restoring and reinterpreting Auckland Castle

This bold heritage-led regeneration project aims to create inspiring experiences and learnings on faith for visitors to County Durham.

23/04/2013

A group of children and adults sit and stand as they pose for a photo while cutting a ribbon.

Local children joined National Galleries of Scotland for the opening of the new Scottish galleries at the National. Credit Neil Hanna

Projects

Celebrating Scotland’s Art: The Scottish National Gallery Project

10 accessible gallery spaces boasting the work of pioneering Scottish artists have transformed visitors’ experience of the national collection.

24/03/2015

An adult talks to a child wearing a head scarf.

Learning Through Landscapes delivered the My School My Planet project. Photo: Simon Hadley.

Blogs

How Walsall’s heritage is thriving

Our Engagement Manager, Natalie Osborne, shares the successful heritage work of Walsall – one of our 13 Areas of Focus.

28/09/2023

An aerial view of St. Conan's Kirk in Scotland.

St. Conan's Kirk, Argyll, Scotland Photo: Andrew Prins

News

£12.2million investment to help save UK’s historic buildings

From the only thatched ice house of its kind to the oldest picture house in Northern Ireland, we have awarded 12 heritage buildings life-saving support.

26/09/2023

A group of people jump into the newly opened pools on a sunny day

People diving into Cleveland Pools at the celebration event in Autumn 2022.

Projects

Restoring Cleveland Pools to the heart of the community in Bath

The oldest surviving open-air swimming baths in the UK have been fully restored and reopened to the public.

26/06/2018

A group of swimmers in red swimsuits jumping out of the water at Cleveland Pools

Swimmers celebrating Cleveland Pools being open for swimming once again.

Stories

Cleveland Pools opens for swimming after 40 years

The UK's oldest open-air swimming pool has reopened, following a £9.3million restoration project that brought the site back to life.

The facade of Belsay Hall on a sunny day, with visitors exploring the grounds

Visitors attending the opening day at Belsay hall and gardens.

Projects

Restoring one of England’s earliest Greek Revival houses and Grade I listed gardens

The Belsay Awakes project, led by English Heritage, has revived Belsay’s historic estate and gardens so that the visitor attraction can be enjoyed for years to come.

12/12/2017

St James' Aslackby

Projects

St James Aslackby: Preserving Heritage, Fostering Community, and Bringing History to Life

The Parochial Church Council (PCC) of St James Aslackby are using the building’s heritage to make it a vibrant space for the community.

22/10/2021

A view across Tarbert harbour, in the foreground to the right are some leaves and a rocky foreshore. To the left is a jetty and a yacht. IN the background harbour front building with hill behind them.

Tarbert, one of eight Scottish places developing heritage driven regeneration.

News

Putting heritage at the heart of regenerating places

For the first time, we have joined forces with Historic Environment Scotland (HES) to support heritage driven regeneration plans in communities across the nation. Together we've awarded £863,050 of development funding – of which just over half comes from the Heritage Fund – to eight projects

10/08/2023

Two people holding a sign for a local community organisation standing outside a historic pub building

Work is starting to restore the Y Plu pub and transform it into a local cultural hub

Projects

Saving a 200-year-old community pub on the Llŷn Peninsula

Our funding is helping the Menter y Plu Community Benefit Society plan how to save and re-develop a Grade II listed pub – Y Plu.

24/11/2022