Croome project gets lottery boost

Buy photos » Staff at Croome Court are delighted after the mansion was given a huge grant of almost £2million from the Heritage Lottery Fund for major restoration work. (s)

STAFF at Croome Court have said they are ecstatic after a lottery grant of nearly £2million helped secure its future.

Following a two year wait the team at the historic mansion near Pershore found out this week they were getting a total of £1.8million from the Heritage Lottery Fund which will go towards the five-year Croome Redefned project.

Costing a total of £6.36million the project will see major repair work done to the 18th century building over the coming years.

Richard Higgs, senior project manager at Croome, said: "The whole team are ecstatic with the new from the Heritage Lottery Fund. It means we can share this immense repair project and show the unique beauty of Croome Court to people forever."

The National Trust and the Croome Court fund-raising appeal have together raised more than £1million towards the big project from events, donations, charitable trusts and a public fund-raising appeal. The remaining money for the project will come from the National Trust's central funds.

In 2010 Croome passed a first round bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund for funding and then submitted the final second round bid in June this year.

And after a nervous wait lasting more than three months, the final decision came in a telephone call received by Croome property staff who now plan to swing the project into action.

"Croome's magic comes from its visionary 18th Century owner, the 6th Earl of Coventry, who saw potential in two emerging talents: the landscape designer 'Capability' Brown and architect Robert Adam," Mr Higgs added.

"We've drawn inspiration from this and we'll develop Croome's future by building on this legacy, working with new talent to fine new and innovative ways of presenting a country mansion house."

Staff and volunteers at Croome will work in partnership with the local community, schools and up-and-coming designers to deliver the project.

As much repair work as possible will be done in front of visitors with 'conservation in action' events taking place where visitors can get involved in the restoration process themselves.

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