Our Appeals

Conservation Appeal

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic and the resulting lockdown restrictions, much-needed funding from admissions, new and renewing memberships, cafés and shops has been lost over the past year. Conservation work had been put on hold, major restoration projects had to be postponed and we now have a backlog of sustainable conservation work needed to protect our historic sites and artefacts.

 

The potential for loss is truly profound

While we are continuing with critical maintenance and security, all other conservation and restoration work had to be put on hold and the daily upkeep of estates was suspended during the national lockdown. 

Buildings in need of repair become even more damaged. Restoration work that is difficult has now become even more demanding. Many projects had to be reviewed in light of the extended period without care. 

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We're in this together

We know England’s story is as precious to you as it is to us. As this crisis slowly comes to an end, we will all need inspiring, culturally rich places to enjoy. Places that excite the mind and stir the soul. Places that allow us to appreciate the beauty and sense of belonging that historic sites can bring.

Your support will help us recover and welcome you back when as our sites continue to reopen. It will help fund urgent repairs and enable restoration work to go ahead. It could mean that a priceless treasure is saved from loss forever.

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Conservation in Action

Image: Saxtead Green Post Mill

Saxtead Green Post Mill

Saxtead Green Post Mill is just one of hundreds of historic places that require continual maintenance. Your support now will help towards critical repairs, and help make sure we have the vital resources we need top keep the site open.

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Image: Bolsover Castle

Bolsover Castle

Major planned renovation plans had been put on hold because of the coronavirus crisis. But without critical repairs to the roof, there is a risk of damage to the historic interiors, including the castle’s famous wall paintings.

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Image: Dover Castle

Dover Castle

Exposed to the worst of the British weather, the outer walls of Dover Castle require critical maintenance to protect them from the elements. Here, one of our expert staff is cleaning plant growth from the stonework.

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How your support helps

Our historic places may have stood for hundreds, even thousands of years, but without on-going care, we will lose them to time and the elements. As a charity we rely on your generosity to ensure that as many people and generations as possible can continue to enjoy the buildings, landscapes and objects that tell the story of England over the past 6,000 years. These are just some of the conservation projects we have been able to carry out in recent years thanks to the generous support of our Members, donors and supporters.

  • Witley Court fountain restoration

    Curator Win Scutt provides an insider's view of the historical significance of the once-spectacular 17th-century house at Witley Court and Gardens. He also tells the story of the project to refurbish the Perseus and Andromeda fountains, as well as providing an insight into the job of a curator and how English Heritage makes a difference.

  • Cannon conservation on the Isles of Scilly

    English Heritage’s intrepid conservators go to any lengths to protect the spaces and objects in our care. Follow Bethan Stanley, our Senior Collections Conservator, as she travels to the tiny St Mary’s on the Isles of Scilly to work on some cannons.

  • Dover Castle anti-aircraft gun restoration

    English Heritage restored an anti-aircraft gun used in the First World War and placed it at Dover Castle, where identical gun batteries were used to see off German Zeppelins. Join Paul Pattison, Senior Historian, for a behind-the-scenes look at its incredible transformation.

  • Huysmans painting restoration

    Rachel Turnbull, English Heritage’s senior collections conservator for fine art, and curator of collections, Peter Moore explain how a group portrait by Jacob Huysmans (1633 – 1696) was painstakingly restored after being acquired to go back on display at Wrest Park in Bedfordshire for the first time in 100 years. 

  • Longthorpe Tower wall painting conservation

    Find out the history behind the wall paintings at Longthorpe Tower in Cambridgeshire, and how conservationists from the Courtauld Institute of Art used original techniques to restore them. Learn the science behind the restoration process and watch the paintings be restored before your eyes.

  • Rievaulx Abbey conservation

    Go behind the scenes at Rievaulx Abbey. See the historic objects that bring to life the rich past of this powerful medieval monastery, and the vital conservation work needed before they could be put on display in the on-site museum. Discover the tools of the trade and the methods used to reveal the detail in these objects.

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