The Chester House Estate is a nationally significant heritage site, being one of the few places in the country which can demonstrate over 10,000 years of human activity. Northamptonshire County Council purchased the site in 2004 and secured grant funding through working with the National Lottery Heritage Fund (formerly the Heritage Lottery Fund) to develop a sustainable visitor destination with access for the public to learn about the history and heritage, as well as becoming the location to house countywide archaeological finds.