The Merchant’s House has received initial support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for work that will help secure the building and broaden public engagement.
The development phase will allow the Trust to refine proposals, investigate the historic fabric, consult audiences and build a robust programme of conservation and interpretation. Initial support is an important milestone rather than the end of the process.
What the work will explore
- Priority repairs and the evidence required to specify them well.
- Ways to make the house’s layered history clearer to first-time and returning visitors.
- Learning, volunteering and community participation.
- Long-term maintenance, environmental performance and organisational resilience.
The project will draw on specialist advisers, volunteers, local partners and public feedback. Further details will be published as the development work progresses.
Heritage funding gives the Trust the space to investigate properly, listen carefully and plan for lasting impact.
The Trust thanks National Lottery players and everyone whose earlier support has made this next stage possible.