Towneley Hall in Burnley has won the 2026 Historic Houses Restoration Award

Sponsored by Sotheby’s, the Historic Houses Restoration Award recognises outstanding examples of the work being carried out by private owners to protect and preserve the historic buildings in their care.

The Crooked House, Landscape, Credit: James Davidson Photography

This year’s winner is Towneley Hall Museum & Art Gallery in Burnley, Lancashire, recognised for its ambitious whole-building restoration.

The Grade I listed Hall dates to around 1400. It was home to the Towneley family for five centuries before being purchased by Burnley Corporation, now Burnley Borough Council, in the early 1900s, and has been open to the public since 1903. Set in 450 acres of historic parkland, Towneley offers visitors formal gardens, woodland walks and trails, as well as the house itself.

Through a £4.7m restoration project lasting just under three years, part-funded by Arts Council England’s MEND programme, Towneley Hall set out to secure the building for the future. The work repaired its historic interiors, made its roofs watertight to protect the collections, and adapted the 600-year-old house to cope with heavier rainfall – an apt aim, as Richard Towneley (1629–1707) was one of the first regular collectors of rainfall statistics in England.

One of the main challenges was the restoration of the historic plaster ceiling in the 1730s Great Hall, which was bowing, cracking, and burdened by a heavy 1970s plaster-of-Paris overlay and inappropriate modern paint. Through extensive work, the damage was repaired, the ceiling was stabilised and the entire space was redecorated.

Councillor Afrasiab Anwar MBE, Leader of Burnley Council and Heritage Champion said: “We are delighted that Towneley Hall’s restoration has received this prestigious recognition from Historic Houses and Sotheby’s. The £4.7 million project reflects Burnley Council’s long-standing commitment to protecting this remarkable building, combining traditional craftsmanship with modern conservation. It is a tribute to everyone involved and an important moment for Burnley, placing our heritage in the national spotlight and helping ensure Towneley Hall remains central to the town’s future for generations.”

The judges were impressed by the scale and care of the work carried out across the entire building.

The Earl of Rosebery, Honorary Chairman, Sotheby’s UK said: “We were hugely impressed by the scale of work done at Towneley, across the entire building. Through careful and clever restoration, they have created a space which feels like a treasured home, as if the family have just left. The staff’s passion for the project, and for the house as a whole, is to be commended. It’s a very well-deserved win.”

The judges also highly commended Columbine Hall in Suffolk this year, admiring how tastefully the work there had been carried out, the exquisite detail throughout, and the transformation of the house and its setting as a whole.

Watch the Restoration Award winner’s video below.