{"id":2162984,"date":"2026-11-05T10:07:33","date_gmt":"2026-11-05T10:07:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thebusinessdesk.com\/yorkshire\/?p=2162984"},"modified":"2026-11-05T10:07:33","modified_gmt":"2026-11-05T10:07:33","slug":"arts-council-funding-supports-investment-in-historic-manor-house","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thebusinessdesk.com\/yorkshire\/news\/2162984-arts-council-funding-supports-investment-in-historic-manor-house","title":{"rendered":"Arts Council funding supports investment in historic manor house"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Oakwell Hall, a Grade I listed Elizabeth manor house in Birstall, will\u00a0undergo extensive conservation and improvement work, backed by more than \u00a31.6m from Arts Council England.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is intended to preserve the building&#8217;s character and improve accessibility for future visitors.<\/p>\n<p>Kirklees Council said the investment is the most significant programme of work at the property for many years. The building has been in public ownership for nearly 100 years.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Oakwell Hall, which is set within 110 acres of parkland and gardens, will close to visitors from Monday 30 November 2026.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The conservation programme will include:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Roof repairs and replacement, including repairs to historic roof timbers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Repairs to the hall\u2019s historic stonework.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Improvements to rainwater drainage systems.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Conservation of historic windows and internal features.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A new accessible toilet on the ground floor.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The hall is expected to remain closed throughout 2027, with a planned reopening in spring 2028. The visitor centre and car park will remain open, and people will be able to explore the wider grounds, including the upper sections of the Walled Garden.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The project is being funded through a grant of more than \u00a31.6m from Arts Council England\u2019s Museum Estate and Development (MEND) Fund, alongside significant investment from Kirklees Council.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-heading\">Councillor Pip Harvey, cabinet member for place, culture and volunteering, said: \u201cOakwell Hall is such an important part of who we are in Kirklees. It\u2019s part of our heritage, our history and our identity, and I\u2019m incredibly proud that we\u2019re investing in it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-heading\">&#8220;It\u2019s about looking after these special places, making sure they\u2019re here for future generations and giving the opportunity to enjoy and be part of the history that makes Kirklees so special.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;We would also like to thank Arts Council for providing funding and support for this milestone project.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rebecca Ball, area director, North, Arts Council England, added: \u201cOur museums, libraries and arts organisations have the power to change lives, they give us access to new worlds, teach us about our heritage and give us new perspectives on life.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-heading\">&#8220;I\u2019m so pleased that we\u2019ll be supporting so many of our cultural organisations in the North with this capital investment, which will ensure that they can continue to deliver incredible arts and culture to their communities.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>443-year-old building needs repairs to protect its structure and secure its future<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":238857,"featured_media":2162988,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"coauthors":[62387],"class_list":["post-2162984","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-property","tag-featured-story","tag-west-yorkshire"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Arts Council funding supports investment in historic manor house | TheBusinessDesk.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"443-year-old building needs repairs to protect its structure and secure its future\" \/>\n<meta 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