Burnley's Gawthorpe Hall Great Barn restoration underway
The restoration of Gawthorpe Hall’s 400-year-old Great Barn is underway.
Historic England awarded £337,975 to the National Trust through the Government’s Heritage at Risk Capital Fund to repair the building’s roof and oak frame. Completion is planned for the summer.
Dating from 1605, this Grade I-listed gem has been closed to the public since 2008. It will reopen following the work.
Burnley, Padiham, and Brierfield MP Oliver Ryan and Historic England Co-CEO Claudia Kenyatta have seen the work first-hand.
MP Ryan said: “Gawthorpe Hall Great Barn is one of the real jewels in Burnley, Padiham and Brierfield's crown, and it’s brilliant to see this long-overdue restoration finally getting underway. This project is a perfect example of what this government’s programme of national renewal looks like in practice: backing our heritage, investing in our communities, and putting public money to work where it actually makes a difference.
“Thanks to funding from the Government, delivered through Historic England and working with the National Trust, this incredible 400-year-old barn will finally reopen after far too long closed. That means more visitors to our area, and a historic building brought back into use for the community - not left to decay. Burnley, Padiham, and Brierfield deserve this kind of investment, and I’ll keep fighting to make sure our area gets its fair share.”
Claudia added: “Working with the National Trust, and thanks to funding from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, we're saving one of East Lancashire's most significant historic buildings and ensuring it can be enjoyed by generations to come.
"Heritage projects like this deliver so much more than looking after old buildings - they strengthen local economies, bring communities together, and instil a genuine sense of pride in what makes a place special. The Great Barn has stood here for over 400 years, and we're delighted it will soon be open to the public once again."
The National Trust is working with the community to explore future uses for the space.
Kirsten Warren, the National Trust’s North West Assistant Director of Operations, said: “This investment highlights our commitment to Gawthorpe Hall. The project will kickstart the development of a new long-term vision for the site. In the coming years, we want to enhance the experience that the visitors and the community receive across the Gawthorpe estate.”