The Garden House, in Buckland Monachorum, has received a grant from the DCMS Culture Recovery fund to enable it to stabilise its operations post-lockdown and start to rebuild the much loved garden and grounds as a vital Dartmoor visitor attraction.

The Garden House is one of 445 heritage organisations across the country set to receive a lifesaving financial boost from the government thanks to the £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund to help them through the coronavirus pandemic.

The Dartmoor charity, which hit the headlines in Spring, when it successfully launched a crowdfunding campaign on Crowdfunder.co.uk to raise the vital funds it needs to survive, applied to the government fund which is designed to make sure Britain’s most loved historic attractions and cultural venues are saved for their local communities.

The funds, part of Government’s #HereForCulture campaign, will now be used to maintain operations at The Garden House, keep it open and be used to help the business start to grow again.

The funding means the garden can continue to stay open to the public over the winter on a limited basis on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays 11am to 3pm. Social distancing rules will be observed and shop and plant sales will be open on a limited basis.

For more details see the website www.thegardenhouse.org.uk

Ian Douglas, Trustee of The Garden House said: ‘We are absolutely thrilled at this result.

‘This is wonderful news – the funds couldn’t have come at a better time – and will enable us to stay open for the local community and visitors to Dartmoor.

‘The Garden House is a very special place and we are determined it’s preserved for generations to come.’

Culture secretary Oliver Dowden said: ‘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 bounceback post covid.’

Kate Mavor, chief executive of English Heritage, said: ‘This support for our nation’s heritage is fantastic news.

‘Over the last few months, our teams have been working hard to welcome visitors back safely to the great castles, stone circles, abbeys and historic houses in our care.

‘This funding will help us invest to safeguard the historic fabric of these much-loved places, which everyone can learn from and enjoy.’

#HereForCulture

Almost 450 heritage organisations in England, including The Garden House have been awarded cash from the first round of the Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage

Grants of up to £1 million will deliver a lifeline for the heritage sector in England with further support to follow and larger grants for capital projects awarded through the Heritage Stimulus Fund

This is the first major tranche of funding from the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund