City of Lincoln Council and Heritage Lincolnshire have secured the necessary funding to bring the iconic Greyfriars building in Lincoln back to life.
Greyfriars is set to welcome visitors again in 2025 thanks to a successful bid for funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and partner organisations.
City of Lincoln Council, in partnership with Heritage Lincolnshire, a CIOB training partner, has announced that the funding will enable the iconic historic building to realise new potential.
Following the announcement of £2m funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, works will begin to repair and redevelop the building to create a fully accessible multi-functional space for weddings, conferences and education, as well as a cafe space for the community.
It is hoped that this mix of new uses will ensure that Greyfriars, which will be run by Heritage Lincolnshire when the works have been completed, is eligible for removal from the National ‘At Risk’ Register.
Site visit organised
Heritage Lincolnshire will work with neighbouring partners GLL at the Central Library as well as Linkage Community Trust, University of Lincoln and Bishop Grosseteste University. Local schools and colleges, volunteers and other groups will also be involved to deliver activities and events to celebrate the history of Greyfriars and provide learning opportunities for adults and children. CIOB has organised a site visit for members in March.
A Grade I-listed scheduled monument dating from around 1230, Greyfriars is thought to be the oldest surviving Franciscan friary building in the country. It has also served as a Free School, a house of correction, a mechanics’ institute and the county museum.
Matt Bentley, senior manager (conservation and heritage) at Heritage Lincolnshire, said: “We are incredibly privileged to be a partner in the saving this internationally important building and can’t wait to move forward with the project.”
