Over £3.2m is being invested renovating 20 historic barns across the Lake District.

Barns in locations all over the national park are having repairs funded by a combination of £2.6 million from DEFRA and more than £550k from applicants.

The repairs on the buildings range from small-scale, specialist timber repairs to whole re-roofs and structural masonry work.

While some barns have unavoidable structural issues, others have suffered from past, inappropriate repairs including the use of cement mortars and poorly repaired roofs.

Rose Lord, the Lake District National Park Authority’s built environment adviser, said: “Our traditional Lake District barns are incredibly important.

“They are part of the agricultural heritage of the area and a reason for its World Heritage Site status.

“These historic features greatly enhance the cultural landscape and it’s why many people love the Lake District.

“Many barns continue to be essential to the business of farming and all provide great homes for nature.

“With this funding we can support farmers to repair and maintain these buildings in a way that supports the area’s economy and supply chains.”

Amy Redman, Crosby Granger Architects, hand dressing Westmorland slate with Ben Dyson from DEC Construction LtdAmy Redman, Crosby Granger Architects, hand dressing Westmorland slate with Ben Dyson from DEC Construction Ltd (Image: Jen Langfield)

Rose says the work also helps keep traditional building skills alive, with the use of locally sourced materials.

These include riven oak supplied through Cumbria Woodlands, lime from Eden Hot Lime, in Kirkby Stephen, and locally quarried slate, which reduces transport miles and fits traditional building styles.

More complex projects have also been completed with the help of local conservation architects, including Countryside Consultants, Crosby Granger Architects, John Coward Architects and Lewis Surveying.

Rose says the work will help to meet Cumbria’s ambition to be a net zero carbon county by 2037.

“Repairing traditional buildings is an inherently sustainable thing to do,” she says.

“Energy has gone into winning the raw materials, transporting them to site and constructing the building.

“As we think about reducing our carbon footprint and living more sustainably, traditional buildings can offer us some useful pointers including ‘repair not replace’ and ‘repurpose rather than demolish’.”

Hogg House near Hartsop, one of 20 historic barns across the Lake District to be saved thanks to a £3.2 million investmentHogg House near Hartsop, one of 20 historic barns across the Lake District to be saved thanks to a £3.2 million investment (Image: Hogg House)

One of those to benefit from the restoration programme is Phillip Hutton, who farms beef and sheep on the 200-acre Wallthwaite Farm, which lies in the shadow of Blencathra, between Keswick and Penrith.

Two projects are taking place at the farm; renovation of a ‘hogg house’ field barn, which it is believed may have started life as a stable serving the nearby mines, and the improvement of several buildings in the 19th century courtyard.

The unique courtyard includes a large threshing barn, byres, stables, pigsties and kennels, reflecting a significant Victorian investment in the farm.

Phillip says all the buildings were in poor condition when he bought the farm four years ago, with the roofs falling in in many places.

At Brimmer Head, Easedale, a small and rare field barn is being restored thanks to a £3.2 million investmentAt Brimmer Head, Easedale, a small and rare field barn is being restored thanks to a £3.2 million investment (Image: Newsquest)

"They were totally unusable and if something wasn't done quickly, they were going to be lost forever,” he says.

However, with the help of the grant, work is under way to repoint and repair the walls and replace the slate roofs so they can be used to house livestock.

"I think it's important to keep those traditional barns up and running, because they're part of the Lake District landscape,” says Phillip.

“The way I look at it, the Lake District got its World Heritage status because it is a farmed landscape and I think it's all part of the beauty of it and all the money, whether it is going to local builders and or local materials, is going into the local community.”