National Lottery Grants for Heritage – £250,000 to £5million
Our grant – awarded to The Wharf Marple CIC – will convert the Grade II listed canal-side warehouse into Marple's first heritage centre and community hub.
Built in the early 1800s alongside the Peak Forest Canal and Macclesfield Canal, the warehouse sits between two Grade II listed bridges. In its working days, it was a busy hub for moving goods to and from the neighbouring lime kilns.
Once renovated, the building will bring together stories from all the town's heritage sites in one place. Visitors will have the opportunity to discover Marple's canal heritage and learn about how the Industrial Revolution shaped the local area.
The space will serve as a community facility with a health and wellbeing studio for activities like yoga, tai chi and Pilates. The canal-side location will also offer visitors a scenic space to relax with refreshments while watching boats pass by.
Volunteers will be at the heart of the project, from heritage guides and shop assistants to gardening and admin support. Our funding will support them to learn new skills through workshops on lime mortar pointing, rural crafts and digital communications.
Susan Ingham, Director of The Wharf Marple CIC, says: “The Heritage Fund’s support firmly puts us on the path to realise our dream of securing this much-loved historic building into community hands, a home for Marple’s fascinating heritage that we are all so proud of.”
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