Forging Ahead

In November 2023, we announced the Forging Ahead future vision for Elsecar. This set out aspirations for the historic Elsecar Ironworks site.

This was a long-term vision. It would take time to make the new development a reality and to secure funding to make it happen. 

To fund the majority of what we want to do, we put forward Levelling Up Fund bids to the previous government. Unfortunately, those bids were unsuccessful.  

We’re closely monitoring this government’s announcements on relevant funding streams that we could apply for, and we’re regularly in conversation with the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic England.

We have still progressed exciting projects at Elsecar Heritage Centre, which you can read about below.

Progress since November 2023 

Building Bridges project 

We worked with the local community to discover stories and heritage at Elsecar. Made possible with £90,000 funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Barnsley Museums and Heritage Trust, the project has developed: 

• A new volunteer programme 

• STEM sessions for school groups  

• A People's Oral History Archive, which will help us in developing the new visitor centre 

• New trails such as 'Echoes through Time' and a new sensory tour. 

The initial inspiration of the project was a celebration and deeper understanding of two iron bridges designed by Marc Brunel and cast at nearby Milton Ironworks, 200 years ago.  

Working with community groups, schools and families we have explored history and STEM through creating our own bridges and understanding the history of La Reunion where the bridges were sent to.  

The project finished in October 2024 with a celebration event, featuring a stunning light projection. 

Read more about the project in our blog

Cultural Development Fund 

We’re using over £3 million from the Cultural Development Fund to improve several buildings at Elsecar Heritage Centre, the visitor centre, and the public realm. This is supported by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sports (DCMS) and Arts Council England. 

This project will turn derelict historic spaces into new creative spaces, and create stunning new indoor and outdoor areas for events and cultural activities.  

The transformation aims to breathe new life into the site, making it a hub of creativity and innovation. Key works include: 

• The Iron Works and the unit next door to it – improving and creating new events spaces  

• Creating new workspaces for businesses, including a fully-accessible unit 

• Updating the Visitor Centre, which reopened summer 2025
• Improving the surface and layout of the public realm 

Drainage works

We’re making significant improvements to Elsecar Heritage Centre’s drainage systems. This will modernise and future-proof the site, ready for potential further growth and developments. These works are essential, to make sure the site functions successfully. The scheme is replacing and upgrading the outdated drainage system, much of which dates back to Victorian times.  

Work starts from Monday 6 October 2025 until Summer 2026. It’ll be done in phases to reduce impact, and we have worked with tenants to make sure no businesses are expected to close during this time. You can keep up to date with the phases on our website and social media channels. 

Unfortunately, there has been a slight delay to the original scheme. The delays in the drainage scheme are due to the discovery of pipes and structures that weren’t on original plans. This has required the team to divert planned routes, or hand dig around certain parts where large machinery would be too damaging. This has taken extra time and effort for the contractors.

To minimise the delay, we’ve brought on more contracted workers, so that works can take place in multiple areas at any one time. We continue to work closely with the designer and contractors to minimise disruptions for tenants and visitors.

When you visit, you might have to follow some temporary walkways or signs, and there might be a little more noise than usual. Please take caution, supervise children closely, and keep dogs on a lead.   

All the fantastic independent businesses at Elsecar are open as usual during these works, so why not support local, and while you’re here, make sure to see our incredible new Visitor Centre! 

FAQs 

When will this be done? 

Projects and improvements will be progressed as funding becomes available. 

For the works on several buildings across the centre (the Cultural Development Fund project), we shared an estimated completion date of December 2024.

However, since the start of the project, we have added other elements, such as plans to improve the site-wide drainage. This means that the programme will take longer than originally shared.

Improvements to the drainage and public spaces should be completed, with lots of our key event buildings available, by early August 2026. We can’t re-open the Iron Works just yet, as we need to connect the facilities inside to the drainage that we are working on. Whilst the Phase One works inside Buildings 20 and 21 (The Iron Works) are complete, we can’t reopen to the public until all the drainage is finished and reconnected (estimated summer 2026). 

A brand new, exciting visitor centre opened in summer 2025, giving visitors an interactive experience and warm welcome to Elsecar’s heritage.

How much will it cost? 
 
A proposed total cost for the initial Forging Ahead scheme was around £25 million. We were unsuccessful in gaining this from the Levelling Up Fund, from the previous UK Government. We continue to explore funding opportunities to improve the site. We've also delivered elements, such as the Cultural Development Fund project and site-wide drainage, as we've successfully won that funding.
 

Why can’t the station be kept as it is? 

The replica station was newly built in the 1990s, on the site of the historic ironworks. There was no station there before. It is now recognised to have been an inappropriate addition to what is an extremely important site. 

The replica station is in a deteriorating condition, as are its outbuildings. 

The only historic parts of the station are the bridge and parts of the ironwork, brought here from elsewhere in Barnsley. 

We will be tidying up the site, whilst we explore future plans and funding options.

What happened to the railway trust and its railway engines and rolling stock? 

The heritage railway trust faced difficulties towards the start of the COVID pandemic, which led to them transferring the lease to the land back to Barnsley Council.   

The rolling stock and engines were not part of that lease and did not belong to the Council.  
 

If this will mean more visitors, what will it mean for the quality of life of local residents who live in the village? 

We are committed to making sure that the success of Elsecar as a visitor destination, and a place that means so much for South Yorkshire communities, will not detract from what it means to live in such a special place. 
 
Active steps are being taken to develop car parking in such a way to reduce the impact of visitor cars on the centre of the village. We encourage visitors to use public transport to come here.

We are aware that particularly popular days can create issues in the village, so we are committed to ensuring visitors to the village are more evenly spread, to reduce that impact. On busy event days, we'll explore additional parking and traffic management.