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£50,000 historic buildings grant for Londonderry listed building

Bishop Street Masonic Hall, Londonderry today was awarded a £50,000 grant to pay for some recently completed renovations.
~ Monday, 23 January 2012

The grant, awarded under NIEA’s Historic Buildings Grant-Aid Scheme, supports the owners to carry out repairs to the windows and exterior finishes of this important listed structure.

Welcoming the grant and boost for Bishop Street’s Masonic Hall Environment Minister, Alex Attwood said: “The old Bishop’s palace, now a Masonic Hall, is one of Londonderry ’s best known historic buildings and with financial assistance from the NIEA historic buildings Grant-Aid Scheme - an important part of the town’s/ city’s architectural heritage has been successfully restored.

“We owe it to future generations to ensure that listed buildings, of which there are approximately 8,500 in Northern Ireland, are protected and enhanced for future generations.”

Pointing out the importance of the grant scheme to maintaining our architectural heritage, the Minister concluded: “The historic buildings grant-aid scheme goes a long way towards ensuring a sustainable future for much of our built heritage and I have sought to secure more money to his fund. This week I am pleased to announce that the cap on support for new applications which was set at £50,000 last year has now been raised threefold to £150,000.”

This grant comes on top of £961,000 announced last year for the repair of the City's listed buildings (£250,000 for St Columb's Cathedral, £235,000 for 1st Derry Presbyterian Church, £29,000 for the 1st Presbyterian Church Hall, £250,000 for the Guildhall, £188,000 for St Eugene's Parocial House & £9,000 for Austins) and represents a significant part of NIEA's annual grant budget invested in the conservation of listed buildings in the City.

As part of the Programme for Government, DOE is committed to 'protecting and enhancing our environment and natural resources'.

Notes to editors:

  1. This elegant three storey porticoed Georgian town house was built in 1753 to serve as the bishop’s palace and continued in this role until 1945 apart from a short interlude as a barracks in 1728. It is now the local headquarters of the Masonic order and has proved a popular attraction for visitors on the annual European Heritage “open days” organised by NIEA:HBU.
  2. The palace was originally built for the episcopate of William Barnard (1747-68) on the sit of a plantation structure and was largely reconstructed by the Earl of Bristol when he was Bishop. It was restored by William Knox in 1803 after its use by the military in 1798.
  3. Anyone who owns a listed building and is interested in applying to the Historic Buildings Grant Aid Scheme should contact the grant section of NIEA: Historic Buildings Unit by emailing bh@doeni.gov.uk or by telephoning (028) 9054 3038.
  4. All media enquiries should be directed to the DOE Press Office on 028 9025 6058. Out of office hours, please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715440 and your call will be returned.