'New life' hope for landmark Sheffield heritage buildings as announcement made by Historic England
Organisation to become capable of acquiring, conserving and bringing historic buildings back into sustainable new uses
It has been set up to save some of Sheffield’s most vulnerable historic buildings.
And now the Sheffield Historic Buildings Trust has been given teeth for its battle to conserve buildings which could lost to the city.
Historic England has handed the organisation a £79,792 grant to help the trust rescue sites across the city, by bringing experts to run the organisation and to lead the organisation from a volunteer-led group to one capable of acquiring, conserving and bringing historic buildings back into sustainable new uses.
The trust, registered as a charity in 2025 has the support and backing of Historic England and Sheffield City Council.
The need for a trust in the city was set out in Joined-up Heritage’s Heritage Strategy for Sheffield 2021-31.
The project and subsequent grant support Historic England’s objective to support the capacity and commitment of local communities to champion the conservation and enhancement of their own local historic environments.
The J G Graves Charitable Trust and Sheffield Town Trust have also contributed to the project.
Richard Butterfield, Historic England’s northern historic places regeneration team leader, said: ”I am delighted we are helping to fund a project focused on not only preserving Sheffield’s historic buildings, but helping them to have a sustainable future.
“Across Sheffield there is a raft of unique and distinct buildings which help tell the city’s stories and give an important insight into the lives of people who have lived and worked here.
“And by funding and working with Sheffield Historic Buildings Trust, we can ensure heritage will continue to play a vital role in the lives of communities across the area.”
Among the buildings that the trust is currently trying to save is the St Michael’s Roman Catholic Cemetery Chapel, in City Road, which was recently described ‘one of Britain’s Top 10 most endangered buildings’ by the Victorian Society.
The organisation recently described efforts to save it.
Designed by Charles Hadfield in 1898, St Michael’s Roman Catholic Cemetery Chapel is a rare surviving example of a building style that is quickly disappearing. It is one of three chapels originally built within Sheffield’s largest municipal cemetery where there were dedicated spaces for different denominations.
Nicola Storey, co-chairman of SHBT, said: “We at the Sheffield Historic Building Trust are so pleased to have been given this grant.
“It has provided us with the opportunity to kickstart our newly-founded charity and get up and running properly. The grant will also help us to get a new project started, and we’re so excited to get underway.
“We look forward to bringing new life to some of Sheffield’s most at-risk historic buildings, while being able to support local communities.”