Dronfield Heritage Trust, the organisation which runs Dronfield Hall Barn on the town’s High Street, has been awarded a grant of £247,239 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to continue to preserve the Barn and gardens “for everyone’s enjoyment” for years to come.
Announcing the grant, the Heritage Fund said the award is “to continue the work started in 2025 in building a sustainable business model for the future of Dronfield Hall Barn.”
This is the second resilience grant awarded to Dronfield Heritage Trust and reflects the significant progress made by the new Board of Trustees to review its organisational processes, business planning and fundraising strategies.
Between 2012 – 2015 Dronfield Heritage Trust rescued and restored the Grade II* listed medieval building which dates back to 1430. The Dronfield Hall Barn project, regarded as one of the finest examples of restorative work in the East Midlands, included an archaeological site survey and was supported by the Heritage Fund alongside generous donations from the community.
Ten years on, the Dronfield Heritage Trust continues to raise income through the hire of its historic Gallery and modern meeting room, private functions, catering, and community events. The recent Medieval Festival drew over 400 visitors from across a wide area and raised around £3000.
Chair of Trustees Louise Third MBE said: “We are extremely grateful to have received further support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. It is thanks to National Lottery players that this grant will allow us more time to embed the management changes we have begun and employ a full-time fundraiser and partnerships manager.
“In today’s tough economic conditions, the challenge for us now is to identify the best business model for such a valued and popular site.”
