Combermere Abbey Grant

Combermere Abbey To Receive Lifeline Grant From £1.57bn Culture Recovery Fund

Combermere Abbey AHF has also been awarded a grant from the Culture Recovery Fund through Historic England. The AHF will use the funding to support charities and social enterprises occupying historic buildings to develop new business plans and strategies for organisations affected by the pandemic.

Sarah Callander Beckett, owner of Combermere Abbey, expresses: "I am absolutely delighted to be a recipient of this Culture Recovery Grant. The Abbey is one of South Cheshire's pre-eminent historic buildings deep in a rural setting, and have cancelled all public tours, visits and events this year with the resulting substantial financial loss.

"These monies mean that our earlier plans to invest in improved broadband and telecoms, in order to promote our estate more widely and which had been put on hold, will now be possible this year. Also, we will be able to create the story of Combermere's 900 year history on video and make it available for all our visitors promoting Cheshire to the wider UK and beyond. Thank you to Historic England and Historic Houses for giving us this opportunity -- it is a fabulous gift."

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden adds: "As a nation it is essential that we preserve our heritage and celebrate and learn from our past. This massive support package will protect our shared heritage for future generations, save jobs and help us prepare for a cultural bounce back post Covid."

While Lucy Worsley, Chief Curator at Historic Royal Palaces, said: "There's no truer way to experience the past than to walk in the footsteps of those who have lived it -- that's why preserving our built heritage is so important.

"At Historic Royal Palaces, we care for six nationally significant buildings, opening them to the public and preserving them for future generations. Sadly, the pandemic meant that we had to stop some of our critical conservation work. The grant we have received from the Culture Recovery Fund will enable to this work to resume -- so we can give some of Britain's most historic buildings the care and attention they deserve, while supporting the specialist craftspeople who are vital for the future of our national heritage. We are enormously grateful to the Government for this support."

Combermere Abbey is currently welcoming guests in its 2 B&B rooms within the North Wing, as well as in the 10 self-catering, dog-friendly converted cottages on the estate. For more information on the abbey, and to follow the story of how the grant will be used, you can find Combermere Abbey on social media via the links below:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/combermereabbey/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/combermere_abbey/

Website: https://combermereabbey.co.uk/

Combermere Abbey is a medieval and Gothic country home set in 1050 acres of woodland, farmland and lakes. Following a major restoration project by the current owner, the estate was saved from ruin and transformed into an idyllic country retreat and wedding venue. With a range of accommodation on offer, Combermere Abbey also allows guests the opportunity to explore and enjoy its grounds including; magical woodlands surrounding the serene mere, a fully restored Victorian Walled Gardens and the world's only Fruit Tree Maze with Edwardian Glasshouse. Details on weddings and accommodation can be found at www.combermereabbey.co.uk http://www.combermereabbey.co.uk.