After a long wait, the hall building at Burnby Hall has transferred to Pocklington Town Council, allowing its progress into a community and heritage hub to move forward.
Creating a museum and heritage facility within Burnby Hall was a core part of the town council’s proposals for the building when they were approved by East Riding Council’s cabinet in April 2024. It has taken a further two years for the formal handover to be completed, and while some refurbishments and improvements have been undertaken in that time, work can now begin in earnest to make the whole building safe and usable.
Pocklington District Heritage Trust hopes to open a low-key base within Burnby Hall by the end of the year, with moves to create a full-blown heritage facility to follow.
Pocklington town councillors voted this month to support a partnership approach with Pocklington District Heritage Trust and Pocklington Community Trust to explore a joint application to the National Heritage Lottery Fund to develop Burnby Hall.
After Pocklington Town Council accepted a proposal from both Pocklington District Heritage Trust (PDHT) and the organisation set up to manage Burnby Hall, Pocklington Community Trust (PCT), a steering group is now being established to investigate a lottery bid to develop Burnby Hall to release its full potential.
PCT is currently making the whole of Burnby Hall fit and safe for multi-purpose use; and PDHT hopes to open a low-key heritage facility within the building before the end of the year.
But town council involvement would enable a lottery bid to fund a more ambitious development for community and heritage purposes, including the possible restoration of the Edwardian conservatory.
PDHT and PCT trustee, Sheena McNamee, said the proposal: “offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity to realise its full heritage and civic potential, during a time when Pocklington is internationally recognised as a place of significant and unique archaeological heritage.”
