The Turf Shed at Lissan House. Photo courtesy of Lissan House Trust.

The Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) has announced they have awarded a Project Viability Grant to Lissan House Trust to advance its plans to restore the Turf Shed into a flexible space to be used by a range of local groups, driving greater activity to the historic site. This is one of nine awards made at their latest grants meeting, where projects ranging geographically from Kingsbarns to Abergavenny were awarded £66,899 in funding.

The Trust aims to restore the shed and transform it into an open plan, sheltered space for walkers, school groups and other visitors coming to Lissan House and estate. It plans to rent the space to groups for events like barbecues and foraged feasts, while the first-floor mezzanine would be used for overnight camping by youth groups, including the Girl Guides and Boys Brigade. The wider aspiration is that this flexible space will encourage more people to visit Lissan House, animating the whole estate. These activities will also help to generate additional income for the Trust, contributing to its sustainability in the long term and furthering its charitable aims and objectives.

The focused Project Viability Grant from the AHF will enable the Trust to commission a conservation-led condition survey and a viability study to help kickstart its ambitious plans.

For more information on the award click here.