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Areas, buildings and monuments

Areas, buildings and monuments

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

Thanks to National Lottery players, since 1994 we have awarded £3.4billion to more than 10,600 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
Statue at West Norwood Cemetery lit up at night
West Norwood Cemetery is one of London's Magnificent Seven

Projects

West Norwood Cemetery restored

Community spaces, access and restoration are at the heart of the six-year project in one of London’s Magnificent Seven.

Three people working on a film shoot - one person operating a camera, another directing and a third looking on

Videos

How Wentworth Woodhouse uses digital storytelling

What started out as a mission to share the restoration of Grade I listed Wentworth Woodhouse online has developed into much more. In this video – created by the Volunteer Digital Team – hear from CEO Sarah McLeod and the volunteers themselves about community engagement, reaching a worldwide audience
A drone photograph of the church of St. Margaret's, nestled between houses and lush green fields.
An aerial view of St. Margaret's Church in Braemar. Credit: The St. Margaret's Trust.

Projects

St. Margaret's, Braemar: restoring a hidden Scottish masterpiece

Historic Churches Scotland is working in partnership with a community trust to save, adapt and regenerate a nationally significant building at the heart of historic Braemar.

Children engaging with an interactive museum display
Photo: Jodrell Bank/Andrew Brooks.

Stories

Six tips for making heritage autism-friendly

From museums and galleries to gardens and churches, our funding is helping these projects to make heritage sites more inclusive, accessible and welcoming for everyone.
A group of different ages from the Tylorstown community celebrate outside the Welfare Hall, smiling and raising their hands in the air.
The Tylorstown community celebrate outside the Welfare Hall. Credit: Steve Pope / FotoWales.

News

£43million awarded to help communities share skills and learn together

From the Norfolk coast to the canals of Scotland, our latest batch of grants will provide opportunities for people to get hands on with heritage and connect with their area’s past.
Two visitors use a smart phone to scan a QR code that unlocks additional interpretation and audio guides about the Scottish national collection.
Visitors use a smartphone to access digital guides during their visit. Credit: National Galleries of Scotland.

Stories

Reconnecting Scotland with its national collection

The National Galleries of Scotland has transformed the Scottish galleries in Edinburgh, with the needs of local – and global – audiences at the heart of the project.
The historic buildings at the Berwick Barracks site on a sunny day
The project will reconnect the historic landmark with the local community and create a new visitor experience. Photo: The Living Barracks.

Projects

Berwick Barracks: The Living Barracks

This project will transform the Grade I listed historic landmark into a thriving cultural hub and visitor destination.

A visitor to Cladh Hallan on Uist uses augmented reality through the camera of their phone to see what the original structures on the site looked like.
Augmented reality archaeology at Cladh Hallan, Uist. Credit: Uist Virtual Archaeology Project.

Projects

Augmented reality technology to reawaken Hebridean history

Our funding will support the University of the Highlands and Islands to digitally reconstruct archaeological wonders on the islands of Barra and Harris.

A group of four colleagues, holding up a blue Heritage Fund roundel, stand in the middle of the stage of the Leith Theatre, looking out to the empty stalls and grand circle above.
Lynn Morrison, Anna Higham, Douglas Frost and Aisha Fatunmbi-Randall from Leith Theatre Trust. Credit: Leith Theatre Trust.

Projects

Bringing Leith Theatre back to life

Our funding brings plans for the restoration and rejuvenation of one of Edinburgh’s most loved cultural venues a step closer.

If you query is regarding our application portal, please contact our support team.