A trust promoting the environment, the arts and education has been awarded £570,000 lottery cash to renovate three historic buildings.

The money will be used to bring back into use an 18th century schoolhouse and milking parlour and a Victorian coach house in Cotesbach, near Lutterworth.

The buildings will be used by the Cotesbach Educational Trust to provide a study centre for schoolchildren.

It will also house the archive of the local Cotesbach Estate.

In all, the trust needs to secure up to £700,000 to carry out the project.

Trust chairman Jackie Strong said: "We are delighted to have been awarded this grant.

"We are about £50,000 short of our total, but we have grant applications with other funders in for more than £75,000."

She said it was likely that work would start in June and the centre would be up and running by April next year.

Emma Sayer, head of Heritage Lottery Fund East Midlands, said: "Cotesbach village and the surrounding area have a fascinating local heritage.

"The re-housing of the estate archive will give more people the chance to explore and learn about the events that shaped the social history of the area."

The history of the village is entwined with the Cotesbach Estate.

In 1620, the estate was sold to the Marriott family, who remain the current owners of Cotesbach Hall. The estate archive dates back to the time of Henry IV and covers documents from this period right up to the 20th century, including poignant letters from the frontline in the First World War.

Learning resources will be developed to tell the story of the area over the past 500 years, including the 1607 enclosure riots which took place at Cotesbach.