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There’s a lot of old buildings in London. From the Tower of London and St Paul’s Cathedral to Kenwood House over on Hampstead Heath, we’re spoilt for choice when it comes to finding historic gems to admire. Most of us barely think about how old these buildings are – and some of them unfortunately fall into disrepair.
Historic England’s 2024 Heritage at Risk Register is aims to be a wake up call for those taking London’s old buildings for granted. Each year the Heritage at Risk Register identifies historic buildings and landmarks across the country that are at risk of being lost if they’re not taken care of. If a site is added, it means there’s danger of decay, neglect or redevelopment which could ruin it forever.
This year, 155 new sites across England have been added to the register, taking the total number of buildings in need of some serious maintenance to a staggering 4,891. From medieval monasteries to crumbling castles, these are the buildings shouting SOS.
Here in London, 26 new sites have been added to this year’s register, meaning there are now 599 buildings across the capital that are at risk. These new additions include a 16th century Jacobean mansion in Greenwich, a baroque church in Westminster and the Grade II listed Stoke Newington Town Hall.
Having been vacant for the past few years, Historic England said the 1930s building just off Stoke Newington’s Church Street can no longer be used fully, while a leaky roof means the Jacobean Charlton House in south-east London is officially on the register too. Over in Westminster, Smith Square Hall, the baroque church that doubles up as a concert hall, is suffering from cracks and electrical damage.
But improvements are being made to London’s historic buildings – as proof, 25 sites were removed from the register by Historic England following some much needed tender care and affection to their structures. These include St Pancras Old Church in Kings Cross and Abney Park Cemetery. The latter, a burial ground erected in the mid 1800s, fell into neglect after reaching capacity and has been on the register since it began back in 1998.
So it’s quite the feat that Abney has officially been declared safe, with the restored chapel even hosting its first wedding thanks to efforts from Hackney Council, the National Lottery Heritage and Community Funds and local volunteers transforming it into a thriving green space.
If you fancy getting stuck in and helping save one of London’s buildings, you can see the full Heritage at Risk register here.
Historic London
There’s plenty of heritage spots to celebrate and take care of in London. Plans to relocate the historic Smithfield and Billingsgate markets have been put on hold after financial review and Brick Lane’s iconic Beigel Bake is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a limited edition football shirt. If that wasn’t enough, a rarely seen royal palace built 500 years ago will open for public tours next year.
Plus: A hidden medieval crypt in the City of London is opening to the public.
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