Lottery cash to restore mausoleum

Darnley Mausoleum is to be restored with the lottery grant

A mausoleum in Kent which failed to win the BBC's Restoration series is to be revamped thanks to nearly £5m worth of Heritage Lottery money.

The £4.98m grant has been given to Cobham Park near Gravesend to restore the landscape and buildings.

Some of the cash will help improve Darnley Mausoleum which was featured on the BBC Two programme.

The aim of the project is to create a place which people can enjoy and learn about the countryside.

Sheer variety

Dr Michael Houghton, form the Heritage Lottery fund, said: "The restoration of Cobham Park, the park's buildings and wider landscape is a worthy and exciting project to support.

"It goes a long way to providing the people of Gravesend and north Kent with an example of the sheer variety of heritage in this area."

Cobham Park, which is situated within the green belt and Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, is a registered historic park.

It contains nine historic buildings, two Sites of Special Scientific Interest and two Scheduled Ancient Monuments.

Sophie Raworth, who supported Darnley Mausoleum on the Restoration programme, said: "It will make a huge difference to the area and I am really looking forward to seeing it again when it has been restored to its former glory."

The lottery grant will provide 75% of the project costs with the remaining 25% coming partly from English Heritage and the Cobham Ashenbank Management Scheme.