A major restoration project at Burton Constable Hall is set to get under way after the charity that owns the stately home secured £242,000 in grant funding to help protect one its best-known architectural features.
The funding has been awarded to the Burton Constable Foundation by Arts Council England through its Museums Estate and Development Fund and will go towards the urgent conservation of the hall’s historic cupolas.
The grant forms the main part of a wider £350,000 restoration scheme focused on the structures, which sit above the east façade and are considered one of the most recognisable elements of Burton Constable Hall.
The cupolas are an important part of the character and historic significance of the wider Grade I and II* listed estate, but after years of exposure to the weather they now require specialist repair work.
The project will include structural stabilisation, timber restoration, renewal of traditional leadwork and improved weatherproofing measures.
Burton Constable Foundation chief executive Alasdair Hutson said the award would allow essential work to go ahead that would otherwise have been beyond the charity’s means.
He said: “We are thrilled and extremely grateful for the support from Arts Council England. The Cupolas are an iconic and much-loved part of Burton Constable’s architectural landscape, and this funding allows us to carry out urgent repairs that would otherwise be beyond our resources.
“The project ensures we can continue to protect and enhance this remarkable estate for visitors, the local community, and future generations. We have ambitious plans to interpret, display and enhance our collections, and making sure the roof is secure and watertight is the first step in making these ambitions a reality.”
The funding was announced as part of a wider package of support for cultural organisations across Yorkshire and the Humber.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said the region’s cultural venues played an important role in preserving local identity and broadening access to arts and heritage.
She said: “I want everyone, everywhere to feel a sense of pride about where they come from. Cultural organisations across Yorkshire and the Humber are important custodians of local identity and play a key role in the story we tell ourselves as a nation.”
Rebecca Ball, area director for the North at Arts Council England, said the investment would help organisations continue to serve their communities.
She said: “Our museums, libraries and arts organisations have the power to change lives, they give us access to new worlds, teach us about our heritage and give us new perspectives on life.”
Work on the cupola restoration is expected to begin later this year and is due to be completed in 2027.
The Burton Constable Foundation said the scheme would help secure the long-term future of the estate and protect an important part of its architectural heritage for years to come.