Kirklees Museums and Galleries will receive more than £1.5m of Government funding to carry out urgent repairs at Oakwell Hall.

A total of £1,638,724 has been allocated from the Museum Estate and Development Fund (MEND), administered and delivered by Arts Council England on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

The money will be used to stabilise the structural integrity of the Grade I-listed Elizabethan manor house and its conservation needs including repointing, stone repair and replacement, roof repair, gutter and ceiling replacement, as well as relocation of an accessible toilet.

These improvements aim to ensure the building and its nationally significant collection can continue to be accessed and enjoyed by visitors and residents for years to come.

Dr Janine Sykes, curator of visual arts at Kirklees Museums and Galleries, looks at a portrait of Charlotte Bronte, just one of the items in the new Bronte-inspired 'Friendship' exhibition at Oakwell Hall in October 2025

placeholder image — Dr Janine Sykes, curator of visual arts at Kirklees Museums and Galleries, looks at a portrait of Charlotte Bronte, just one of the items in the new Bronte-inspired 'Friendship' exhibition at Oakwell Hall in October 2025

Spen Valley MP Kim Leadbeater said she is “absolutely delighted” about the funding award.

She said: “I’ve lived in Spen Valley all my life so I know just how important Oakwell Hall is for the local community and for visitors from further afield. I’ve been going there since I was a little girl.

“It continues to host so many fantastic events, both in the hall and the country park, including the ‘Run For Jo’ which means so much to me and my parents.

“This grant will help pay for vital repairs that will keep Oakwell Hall as a vibrant and exciting place to visit for all the family.

The Government has allocated £1,638,724 for urgent repairs at Oakwell Hall

“Only 28 places across the country have been successful in winning funding from the Museum Estate and Development Fund, so this major investment is a real tribute to the whole team at Oakwell Hall.”

The building, which is now owned by Kirklees Council, dates from 1583 and helped inspire a novel by one of Yorkshire’s best-loved authors, Charlotte Bronte.

Rebecca Ball, North area director at Arts Council England, said: “Our museums, libraries and arts organisations have the power to change lives, they give us access to new worlds, teach us about our heritage and give us new perspectives on life.

“I’m so pleased that we’ll be supporting so many of our cultural organisations in the North with this capital investment, which will ensure that they can continue to deliver incredible arts and culture to their communities.”

Spen Valley MP Kim Leadbeater said she is 'absolutely delighted' about the funding announcement. Oakwell Hall hosts many events including the Run For Jo, which she said 'means so much to me and my parents'

Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy, said: “I want everyone, everywhere to feel a sense of pride about where they come from.

“Cultural organisations across Yorkshire and the Humber are important custodians of local identity and play a key role in the story we tell ourselves as a nation.

“Our Arts Everywhere Fund is delivering on our commitment to support cultural assets across the country, increasing access and preserving them for future generations.

“This is demonstrated by grants that will benefit sixteen culture venues, museums and library services across Yorkshire and the Humber.

“Arts and culture are the beating hearts of our communities, they have the power to unite us in the face of division and break down barriers to opportunity.

“We want to harness the power to help us build a brighter future for the people of Yorkshire and the Humber.”

Elsewhere in the district, Kirklees Theatre Trust has been awarded £630,000 from the Creative Foundations Fund, which aims to help theatres, performing arts venues, galleries and grassroots music venues address urgent infrastructure needs.