£2m grant to bring history back to life

MONEY WILL PROMOTE JOBS AND CULTURE AT FOUR SITES

- By DANIEL HOLLAND Local Democracy Reporter

FOUR historic sites in the North East have been awarded almost £2m in funding from a £15m pot aimed at saving historic sites across England.

The funds will go towards the repair of Woodhorn Colliery, two community buildings in the Byker Wall Estate and a derelict 19th century building in Sunderland.

The heritage at risk capital fund, led by Historic England and funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has awarded £15m to 37 listed buildings across the country.

The one-year fund prioritises heritage sites serving disadvantaged communities and which demonstrate strong local benefits, from job creation to cultural events.

Woodhorn Colliery, in Ashington, has been awarded £997,265 towards restoring its mineshaft structures. The rare surviving heapsteads are a key part of the mechanism which brought coal from more than 250 metres underground.