The National Lottery Heritage Fund awards grant to save 15th Century cottage, Cranleigh Cottage Hospital, acknowledged as the First Cottage Hospital in England

Today, Cranleigh Heritage Trust is proud to announce a significant grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to restore the first cottage hospital in England, the 15th Century cottage standing on Cranleigh High Street. This funding, of over £780,000 is made possible by National Lottery players. It will return the historic building for use by the local community as a hub for health and wellbeing, alongside heritage education and use by community groups.

The cottage was built in 1446 and, in 1859, revolutionised healthcare in pre-NHS England when it opened as a cottage hospital, due to the efforts of Dr Albert Napper and Archdeacon John Sapte.

The first of its kind, patients were asked to pay only what they could afford, or a community fund covered the charge for those too poor to pay. It is considered the early inspiration for the NHS.

Since 2007, the Grade II listed building has been disused and, without this funding from the Heritage Fund, would sink further into disrepair.

Once restored and sensitively modernised, the cottage will re-open as a community venue focused on health, wellbeing, and education. Heritage displays, alongside a digital archive, will capture the rich history of both the cottage and Cranleigh.

Stuart McLeod, Director England – London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said
“We are thrilled to support Cranleigh Heritage Trust in the preservation of Cranleigh Cottage Hospital – the first cottage hospital in England – with money raised by National Lottery players. As the UK’s largest funder of heritage, we need to help our historic buildings in adapting and regenerating. This project will enable Cranleigh Heritage Trust to safeguard this important local and nationally significant landmark, bringing it into community use as a much-needed centre for health and wellbeing.”

To follow the progress of the project, visit the Cranleigh Heritage Trust website (https://www.cranleighcottagehospital.org) and sign up to receive its newsletter

Trevor Dale, Chair at Cranleigh Heritage Trust said:
“We are delighted to have been awarded this grant by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to save the Cranleigh Cottage Hospital building and create a new role for it within our village. The success of our application recognises the enthusiasm and support of the Cranleigh community—and we are excited to get started with the critical restoration works. Thanks to National Lottery players, we are able to begin a new chapter in the history of this remarkable building.”

-ENDS-

Notes to editors
About Cranleigh Heritage Trust
Cranleigh Heritage Trust CIO (No. 1198513) is a registered charity, set-up by a dedicated group of local volunteers, to preserve and restore Cranleigh Old Cottage Hospital.
Following an initial development grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Trust submitted a detailed application for full funding in August 2024. The application has been successful and restoration work will begin on the Cottage in spring 2025. The goal is to open the building to the public in summer 2026.

Website: https://www.cranleighcottagehospital.org
Follow @cranleigh_heritage_trust on Instagram and @cranleigh-heritage-trust on Facebook

About The National Lottery Heritage Fund
Our vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future. That’s why as the largest funder for the UK’s heritage we are dedicated to supporting projects that connect people and communities to heritage, as set out in our strategic plan, Heritage 2033. Heritage can be anything from the past that people value and want to pass on to future generations. We believe in the power of heritage to ignite the imagination, offer joy and inspiration, and to build pride in place and connection to the past.

Over the next 10 years, we aim to invest £3.6billion raised for good causes by National Lottery players to make a decisive difference for people, places and communities.

Website: https://heritagefund.org.uk
Follow @HeritageFundUK on Twitter/X, Facebook and Instagram and use #NationalLottery #HeritageFund

Further Information
For further information, images, and interviews please contact Howard Barratt, Trustee at Cranleigh Heritage Trust, on 07747 627539 or howard.barratt@cranleighcottagehospital.org