Our heritage is a vital part of the character and natural beauty of our countryside. For millennia we have shaped our rural landscapes and the remnants of our shared past. The dry stones walls, hedgerows, farm structures and archaeological sites beneath our feet are as an integral part of the countryside as its rivers, mountains and valleys.

Historic England is today (Thursday 28 August) highlighting the success of its Countryside Stewardship Heritage Service, which has supported over £6 million worth of heritage conservation projects across England in 2024-25.

The programme, delivered in partnership 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.

This partnership approach helps farmers preserve rural heritage, as stewards of both the land and its history, while supporting sustainable land management and creating economic benefits.

England's rural landscape forms a valuable part of our national heritage. It has been shaped by generations of people living and working the land over time. Some of our greatest heritage assets, from historic buildings to archaeological remains, are located in the countryside.

With expert guidance from Historic England and funding from Defra, we’re thrilled that these Countryside Stewardship grants are ensuring that those that look after our land and safeguard our rural heritage are fully supported to do so. Protecting these elements of our countryside brings economic, cultural, and environmental benefits for everyone. Together, this partnership ensures we are protecting our shared heritage for future generations.

Key Achievements

With 50 cases across England, the programme has demonstrated strong uptake from the farming community. Of the applications processed, 47 grants totalling approximately £3.8 million have been awarded, with further cases currently being processed by the Rural Payments Agency.

The grants support both feasibility studies and repair works, enabling farmers to take a planned approach to heritage conservation that aligns with modern farming practices.

Supporting Farmers as Heritage Stewards

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. The service ensures that proposed work meets both heritage conservation standards and practical farming needs.

With a target of £5 million in grants for 2025-26, Historic England continues to expand the programme's reach. The success of the initiative demonstrates the appetite within the farming community for heritage-led land management that delivers multiple benefits.

Successful projects supported by the Countryside Stewardship Heritage Service include:

Inman’s Bridge, Lyth Valley, Lake District Photo: © Historic England Archive

Limekiln & Inman’s Bridge, Lyth Valley, Lake District

The Limekiln and an undesignated access bridge over the River Gilpin, are 1.2km apart along the Lyth Valley in the Lake District National Park. 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.

Epiacum, Whitley Castle, Northumberland Photo: Historic England

Epiacum, Whitley Castle, Northumberland

Whitley Castle (Epiacum Roman Fort) is one of the best examples of a Roman fort with multiple ditches in England. This ancient site holds a wealth of archaeological and environmental evidence that can deepen our understanding of Roman military strategy, settlement patterns, and interactions with communities in Northern England.

The fort is known to be located along the Roman road known as the Maiden Way and can be appreciated in the context of nearby remains from a range of time periods up to the present day. The site is looked after by the farm through sympathetic management practices, including by establishing the Epiacum Heritage Charity. There is permissive access to the monument and interpretation, including a children's trail.

Undertaking a feasibility study offers significant benefits, not just for archaeological conservation, but also for protecting the natural environment. The study will help identify long-term conservation strategies for this nationally important Scheduled Monument, including ways to mitigate the impacts of climate change on its fragile archaeological deposits, and from animal burrowing and erosion from livestock.

Importantly, the study will also explore practical solutions to current land management challenges, including visitor access, ensuring safe and sustainable farm vehicle routes, flooding and farm water supply management.

Chillingham Park, Northumberland


Chillingham Park and the Chillingham Wild Cattle are both of national significance. The former has Grade II status on the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest (Historic England), and the latter is a Native Breed At Risk (Defra).

This globally unique landscape-livestock partnership is protected by its owners, the Chillingham Wild Cattle Association (CWCA). The Chillingham cattle are totally wild, and a closed herd, with no human contact, and the oldest recorded Herd Book in the world, having lived in the park for 700-800 years. They are the only pure-bred survival of Europe’s indigenous prehistoric wild cattle.

This feasibility study supported by the Countryside Stewardship Heritage Service will update and refresh our knowledge of the extent, condition and significance of the archaeology on this land. Through the Countryside Stewardship Heritage Service, the landowners are having guidance produced to inform future management of heritage assets.