FUNDING of £59,100 has been awarded for repairs to the Grade II* Gayle Mill in Wensleydale from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The work will include repairing and replacing the mill's stone roof slates, ridges and gable, overhauling the drainage and resurfacing the drive, which had eroded during storms early in the year, and installing new distinctive Gayle-style gates as were made at the mill. The cash will also support the core costs of Cultura Trust, which owns the building, during the pandemic.

Graham Bell, director of Cultura, the new name for North of England Civic Trust, said: “Thanks to the National Lottery and its players we have at last been able to gain access to the roof and other parts of the mill. Rampant vegetation was threatening to undermine the headrace. We’re grateful that The National Lottery Heritage Fund is supporting us at this crucial time – it’s a lifeline to us and others who are passionate about sustaining heritage for the benefit of all.”

The chair of Hawes and High Abbotside Parish Council, Richmondshire district councillor Jill McMullon said: “Gayle Mill is very much a part of our local history and it will be amazing to have it restored back to a working mill. In such difficult times it’s lovely to have such good news and we look forward to see its progress and eventual completion.”

Stone Technical Services of Darlington won the tender and Mr Bell said: “They made a dramatic presence on site by doing the roof repairs by rope access rather than scaffolding.”

The firm specialises in rope access maintenance work to historic buildings, which often have hard-to-reach roofs and architectural detail.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Heritage Emergency Fund has seen £50m made available nationally to provide emergency funding for those in need across the heritage sector.

Ros Kerslake, chief executive of Heritage Fund, said: “Heritage has an essential role to play in making communities better places to live, supporting economic regeneration and benefitting our personal wellbeing. All of these things are going to be even more important as we emerge from this current crisis.

“Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players we are pleased to be able to lend our support to organisations such as Cultura during this uncertain time.”