Bestwood Winding House, one of the last remaining monuments to Nottinghamshire’s coal mining history, is to get a new lease of life thanks to a grant from the UK's Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

The HLF award of £963,600 (US$1.7m, 1.4m euro) will see the Grade 2 listed Victorian building – which is located within Bestwood County Park– fully restored and opened to the public before the end of 2007.

Visitors will be able to view the massive winding engine – one of only two steam engines which remain in their original position in England – while the nearby sub-station will be converted into a visitor centre, which will include education facilities, a café and community space.

Dale Lewis, managing consultant of Haley Sharpe Consultants, which prepared the HLF bid for the property, said: “The restoration plan will make the site accessible to everyone and new exhibitions at the Winding Engine House will show people what life was like for the miners and their families.”