15 June 2026: Scaffolding is going up at historic Frogmore Paper Mill this week after The National Lottery Heritage Fund awarded £231,500 to support urgent structural repairs and stabilisation works at the internationally significant industrial heritage site.

The grant will fund the project "Safeguarding Frogmore Paper Mill: Urgent Stabilisation and Roof Repairs", helping to protect key buildings that are currently at risk of irreversible deterioration from water ingress, deteriorating roofs and structural movement.

Located in Apsley, Hemel Hempstead, Frogmore Paper Mill is widely recognised as the birthplace of mechanised paper making. The mill occupies a unique place in both Britain's industrial history and the global story of communication and print culture, and still manufactures paper today.

The project comes at a critical moment in the site's recovery following the devastating arson attack of January 2022, which destroyed the visitor centre, exhibition galleries and offces. Staff, volunteers and supporters have worked tirelessly to restore public access, culminating in partial reopening through guided "Hard Hat Tours" and special events.

The stabilisation project will create a stronger foundation for Frogmore's long-term redevelopment plans, which include expanded visitor facilities, new exhibition galleries and enhanced learning spaces.

The mill will remain open to visitors during the works wherever safely possible, and it is expected that additional areas of the site will be reopened to the public from autumn 2026.John Watson, Chair of Trustees of The Apsley Paper Trail, said: "We are delighted to have received this support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks
to National Lottery players, we can now undertake critical stabilisation and roof repair works that will help safeguard Frogmore Paper Mill and its extraordinary heritage for future generations.

"Frogmore is widely recognised as one of the most significant industrial heritage sites  with the development of modern paper making anywhere in the world. It played a pivotal role in transforming how knowledge, information and ideas were shared across the globe. This funding is a major step towards securing the future of the mill and ensuring its stories, skills, collections and machinery remain accessible to the public."

Using money raised by National Lottery players, The National Lottery Heritage Fund supports projects that connect people and communities with the UK's heritage. The "Safeguarding Frogmore Paper Mill" project is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we will be able to stabilise vulnerable walls, repair roofs, improve drainage and help protect the machinery and archives housed within the historic buildings.