As part of the celebrations to mark the start of the Tour De France in Yorkshire, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) have marked 20 years of investment in the Yorkshire and Humber by featuring a “Top 20” of heritage attractions in the region.

We are pleased to see that one of the 20 is the Dearne Valley Landscape Partnership (DVLP) it says:

“The Dearne Valley sums up the character of Yorkshire, with a strong mix of industry and beautiful landscapes and its people who have lived and worked in the area for generations. The landscape left scarred by mining, glassworks and ironworks industries is gradually being crept over by nature which is reclaiming it as its own, allowing birds, animals and plants- some very rare- to re-establish themselves. With the added interest of a 12th century monastery, the longest country house frontage in Europe and a 20th century colliery, the area is ripe for discovery  and the £1,882,000 Landscape Partnership project is keen to involve as many people as possible in creating a legacy for the future. By understanding how varied the area is, the project hopes to leave a legacy that will have a national impact as well as doing justice to its local past.”

For more details of the “Top 20″ click here:

http://www.hlf.org.uk/news/Pages/LeGrandDepart.aspx

The illustration below was commissioned by the HLF and features the headgear of Barnsley Main, which is a key project within the DVLP.

Courtesy of HLF