Historic abbey awarded nearly £1.5m for repairs

Newstead Abbey is in need of repairs to its roof and other parts of the building

A historic landmark in Nottinghamshire has been awarded almost £1.5m for urgent repairs.

The Grade I listed Newstead Abbey, the ancestral home of poet Lord Byron, is on Historic England's at risk register and requires repairs to its roof and other parts of the building.

It is one of 29 venues across the country set to receive a share of almost £25m from the government's Museum Estate and Development Fund, it was announced on Thursday.

Sam Lux, portfolio holder for leisure and culture at Nottingham City Council - which manages the site - said the announcement was "fantastic news".

The money - a total of £1,482,882 administered by Arts Council England (ACE) - will be used for making the building wind and watertight, as well as internal repairs to make the landmark safe, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said.

The city council has applied for numerous grants to help repair the heritage site

The programme of repairs will be completed between this May and March 2028, according to Lux.

She said: "This essential work will ensure that Newstead Abbey is preserved as a wonderful place for visitors to explore for years to come, continuing its longstanding heritage and cultural significance on a local and international scale."

Peter Knott, Midlands area director at ACE, added: "We're pleased to be supporting Newstead Abbey to make these vital repairs.

"The work will ensure that this iconic building, its collections, and the stories they tell can continue to inspire us and future generations for many years to come."

A £104,000 grant from Historic England was also awarded for repairs in September.

The city council applied for a further grant of £250,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to pay for repairs to the Sussex Tower at the abbey in January.

Council documents showed the tower had become a "severe health and safety risk" due to water damage, leaving some of the rooms below having to be emptied, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.