Lottery grant for Redfern Cottage revamp
A Staffordshire museum has won a £40,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund towards a major redevelopment.
Redfern Cottage in Uttoxeter dates back to the 17th Century and has been open to the public since the 1980s.
An independent museum, it brings together the history of life in the town.
The HLF development award will allow the trust which runs it to put together more detailed plans before applying for a £500,000 grant at a later date.
The Uttoxeter Heritage Trust plans to improve access and conserve parts of the grade II listed building, as well as create new displays.
It hopes to recruit new volunteers to help with the work and plan new exhibitions.
Reyahn King, head of the HLF in the West Midlands, said Redfern Cottage was an "exciting focus for heritage in the market town".
She said the HLF was pleased to support the initial application and would watch the developing plans with interest.
The building was built in 1628 and was home to Francis Redfern, a cooper who also wrote about the history of Uttoxeter.