Kickstart award for Lincon Cathedral

The grant will be used to complete the conversion of the Old Deanery at Lincoln Cathedral in to a new fully accessible visitor centre, complete with exhibition spaces, a learning centre, shop, café and landscaped gardens.

The project also includes vital conservation work to the internationally important Gallery of Kings and Romanesque frieze on the West Front of the cathedral and the 14th century Exchequergate arch in the Cathedral Close.

Will Harrison, chapter clerk and administrator at Lincoln Cathedral, said: “The creation of the Old Deanery Visitor Centre, and the vital conservation work on the west front of the cathedral is a once-in-a-lifetime project, and has been a major focus of our 
attentions for the last five years.

“Hospitality and welcome are at the heart of cathedral life and we look forward to the day when we can safely welcome back visitors from across Lincoln, the county and beyond.

“We’re incredibly grateful for this grant, which will ensure that we can conserve the fabric of the cathedral and, importantly, create a fantastic new accessible and engaging space which can be enjoyed for generations to come.”

The money is one of the latest grants awarded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and builds on more than £1 billion awarded to a huge range of cultural and heritage organisations from the Culture Recovery Fund last year.

Ambitious projects at 22 heritage organisations, including Lincoln Cathedral, will benefit from £13.5 million in targeted grants allocated by the National Lottery Heritage Fund to restart planned work that now face delays or increased costs.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “From restoring Georgian lidos and Roman baths to saving local screens and synagogues, our Culture Recovery Fund is helping to save the places people can’t wait to get back to, when it is safe to do so.

“All over the country, this funding is protecting the venues that have shaped our history and make us proud of our communities, whilst safeguarding the livelihoods of the people that work in them.”

Ros Kerslake, chief executive, National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “These are all ongoing major refurbishment and restoration projects funded by us which have been threatened by the pandemic.

“From the oldest surviving outdoor swimming baths to a Victorian pier, and from a much-loved park to an historic abbey, these are all places that will enrich hundreds of lives when they reopen.

“We are delighted this extra funding from the Culture Recovery Fund will ensure that these exciting projects will go ahead.”

The National Lottery Heritage Fund, along with the BFI, Historic England and Arts Council England, are currently assessing applications for the remaining £400 million in funding from the Culture Recovery Fund, which was held back to allow the Government to support organisations through the spring and summer.

Recipients from the first round of the Culture Recovery Fund have contributed stunning images to a curated collection of video-call backgrounds.

The public can choose from famous arts venues and heritage sites - from Durham Cathedral to the English National Ballet - to use as their background and show their support for the cultural sectors. The backgrounds are free to download.