Historic England is helping preserve a slice of the Lake District’s rural history as part of its Countryside Stewardship Heritage Service.
The programme, delivered with Defra, provides specialist advice to farmers and landowners applying for grants to protect and restore historic features on their land, from ancient field boundaries and traditional farm structures and standing remains to archaeological sites and historic parkland.
Nationally it has awarded 47 grants totalling around £3.8 million.
In Cumbria, landowners in the Lyth Valley are hoping to preserve a limekiln and bridge and the support from the fund will allow them to carry out a feasibility study.
Historic England said: “The limekiln and an undesignated access bridge over the River Gilpin, are 1.2km apart along the Lyth Valley.
“The landowners do not have the resources or specialist knowledge to carry out this restoration without the grant, and considerable support from the Countryside Stewardship Heritage Service team.
“The limekiln is set within a triangular enclosure and thought to be 18th century or early 19th century.
“The kiln survives reasonably well having previously had work to rebuild one of the side walls, albeit 20th century.
“However, the kiln is covered in vegetation and tree growth and is suffering from decaying stonework.
“The bridge was thought to have been installed sometime in the 19th century while the river was diverted to its current course.
“Each landowner was afforded a small access bridge for the movement of livestock.
“At present, the bridge is in a declining condition and other bridges nearby are either collapsed or have been replaced with metal/concrete structures.
“The feasibility study will enable the landowners, who have owned this land for generations, to further understand and preserve these two features for future generations.”
Historic England’s Countryside Stewardship Heritage Service provides free pre-application advice to help farmers navigate the Countryside Stewardship application process and develop appropriate conservation solutions.
