Historic England Grant Supports ‘Home of Sussex Folklore’
New funding for the Mint House, Pevensey
Historic England has awarded a grant of £21,120 to help support restoration of the Mint House in Pevensey, East Sussex.
The Grade II* listed timber-frame building stands opposite Pevensey Castle. It has rare wall paintings and one of the largest 16th-century detached kitchen buildings known to survive in East Sussex. It was added to the Heritage at Risk Register in 2022 due to its poor condition.
The grant will aid the Friends of the Mint House with their mission to carefully repair the building and create a sustainable future for it as the Home of Sussex Folklore. It will fund a structural engineer’s report, conservation management plan and costed condition report.
This builds on Historic England’s ongoing support of the charity to better understand the building and inform the best approach to repairs.
In 2024, Historic England funded dendrochronological testing (dating the building by analysing samples of wood) by Dr Martin Bridge. The results indicated that the hall and kitchen ranges have the same date and were made with timber which was likely felled in the 1520s to early 1530s. The cross-wing and joining range are slightly later in date. They were again constructed at the same time as each other, using timbers with a felling date between 1560 and the early 1570s.
The Mint House also has nationally important wall paintings inside which are deteriorating. A condition report on the wall paintings was recently carried out by accredited conservator Dr Andrea Kirkham, funded by the Pilgrim Trust.
Together with the Friends of the Mint House, we’re building a clearer picture of this wonderful historic building, its construction, condition, and exactly what’s needed to repair it. The Friends have already brought the building back to life with fantastic live events and art installations celebrating Sussex folklore. We’re pleased to be able to support their next steps to rescue the structure by helping with access to the specialist conservation advice they need.
To have new evidence that suggests the wood for the Mint House was felled while Henry VIII was on the throne is really exciting and keeps alive the tantalising possibility that the Mint House was made of reused timbers from Pevensey Castle, as local legend says.
We are so grateful to Historic England for funding this phase of work. The future of this remarkable building matters to a growing and diverse community of people who have found a ‘home’ here, and this work takes us a step closer to making that future a positive one.
I am absolutely delighted to hear that the Mint House in Pevensey will receive a grant of over £21,000 from Historic England. I had the pleasure of visiting the Mint House earlier this year. It is a significant ancient building in Pevensey dating back to the early 16th century which is being carefully preserved and restored by the Friends of the Mint House. As well as their restoration work, the Friends are working hard to ensure that the building is a thriving cultural hub embedded in the local community. This grant is a significant contribution to their goals.
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