A heritage project in Glastonbury which will explore the history of the Morlands and Bailys buildings, as part of Historic England's 'Everyday Heritage Grants: Celebrating Working Class History' has been awarded a £25,000 grant.

The new grant scheme was launched by Historic England earlier this year to support community-led projects and further the nation's collective understanding of the past.

Community and heritage organisations were invited to apply for grants to unlock untold local stories and hidden histories.

The Red Brick Building in Glastonbury has been awarded £25,000 to run a project called Morlands and Baily's: Celebrating Glastonbury's Working Class Heritage.

The Morlands sheepskin factory dates back to the 1800s and throughout the 1900s the wool and sheepskin tanneries in Northover, Glastonbury were reputed to be the largest in Europe. By the end of the second world war, they had become one of Glastonbury's largest employers with over 5,000 workers at its peak.

By the 1980s the company folded and the buildings fell into disrepair but thankfully they were saved from demolition in 2008 by local young people who recognised their historic and community value. The Red Brick Community Benefit Society was formed and part of the factory is now a vibrant social enterprise servicing the community through arts, education and enterprise.

The heritage project will research and gather stories from those people connected to the buildings. There will be a trail between Glastonbury's historic sites and an exhibition with practical wool demonstrations at The Red Brick Building over two days. The exhibition will form the foundation of the Glastonbury Industrial Heritage Museum at the Bailys Building once fully restored, as well as a digital exhibition. 

"The funding will enable us to engage the community that recall working in the factories gathering those voices and stories that we don't want to lose, as we nearly did the buildings.  We want to celebrate our heritage and enable it to be accessible for generations to come," said Beverley Smith, Enterprise Officer at the Red Brick Building.

Duncan Wilson, Chief Executive of Historic England, said: "Heritage should be for everyone. I am delighted that we are able to provide funding for this project through our Everyday Heritage Grants, which will help to bring our collective and shared history back to life. These grants will enable people to tell their own stories, in their own way, and connect with others in their communities through a shared understanding of their local heritage.

He continued: "The histories of castles and great houses and their inhabitants are well documented, but we know far less about our everyday heritage. From council estates, pubs and clubs, to farms, factories and shipyards, these are the places where most people have lived, worked and played for hundreds of years. We want to explore these untold stories and celebrate the people and places at the heart of our history."

Everyday Heritage Grants: Celebrating Working Class Histories is one of many ongoing cultural projects that Historic England is delivering in order to shine a light on the diversity of the nation's heritage.

The Red Brick Building will shortly be advertising a fixed term post to enable the project. If you are interested in the project, have story to tell or a photograph to contribute please get in touch so we can include you, please contact [email protected]