Historic Petersfield estate set to benefit from share of £7.4 million funding boost

The money is intended to support important upgrades to museums and public libraries, as well as vital repairs, renovations, and the development of digital infrastructure designed to ensure they continue to function as assets to their communities and improve their visitor experience.

Uppark House and Garden itself is set to benefit from nearly £2 million for repairs to its historic mansion house and outbuildings. Upgrades will be made to services like fire safety, heating, intruder alarm and CCTV, as well as necessary repairs to its historic mansion and outbuildings.

Arts and Heritage Minister Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay said: “These awards will support major infrastructure works at much-loved institutions like the Powell-Cotton Museum and Chatham Historic Dockyard, in addition to helping improve library services which sit at the heart of our community. This additional funding underlines the Government’s commitment to culture and heritage in every part of the country, and I look forward to seeing how it helps to improve the infrastructure of libraries, museums and galleries across the South East.”

Uppark House and Gardens isn’t the only heritage site to benefit from the money. Bexhill Museum in East Sussex will receive almost £400,000 to prevent damage to the building and collections from humidity fluctuation and sea-water corrosion, as well as vital works to prevent the building from flooding. The funding should also sponsor works which will improve access to the main learning and collection storage spaces in the museum.

Meanwhile, Dinosaur Isle, a unique building on the Isle of Wight, has received nearly £500,000 for structural repairs to its roof and improvements to its building and lighting. The museum is home to an internationally significant collection of UK dinosaurs, the second largest after the natural history museum.

As well as all that, the The Powell-Cotton Museum in Kent has received more than £1 million for a project which will prevent water ingress across the site and provide critical insulation to improve energy use, while Chatham Historic Dockyard has been given more than £2.3 million for works to the Commissioner’s House, the oldest intact naval residence in Britain.