We’ve all tried our hands at some ambitious DIY improvements over the years. Maybe it’s straightening up that wonky curtain pole, or finally clearing out the garden shed. But what about restoring the roof of a medieval church, or fixing the sail on an historic windmill? These are some of the massive challenges facing old buildings across the UK that Historic England wants to protect.
From medieval monasteries to crumbling castles, 155 new sites across the country have been identified as threatened, and thereby added to Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register. If a structure is added to the register, that means there’s a real danger of neglect, decay, or ‘inappropriate development’ which could cause it harm.
Historic England says that protecting heritage structures can bring communities together, inspire creativity, and boost tourism and the economy. With a total of 4,891 places on the register this year, here are just a few of the grey-haired heritage sites in need of some TLC.
Tamworth Castle, Staffordshire
One of England’s oldest motte-and-bailey castles has survived bloody battles, Viking invasions, and civil war takeovers. But now the site is struggling with structural damage and needs costly repairs. The building now houses a museum and, despite initial refurb efforts, there’s still a lot of work to be done.
St Nicholas’ Priory, Exeter
St Nicholas’ Priory proudly boasts the title of Exeter’s oldest building, founded in 1087 - that’s even older than the Aztec empire! The Benedictine monastery became a lavish townhouse in the Tudor era. But now water is getting into the building and damaging centuries of precious history, including stunning murals from the Elizabethan era.
Waltham Windmill, Lincolnshire
This super-rare Victorian windmill has six huge sails and amazingly is still in working order. But there’s a problem - water has got in and is rotting away at the timber in the sails and gears. The mill is run completely by volunteers, and they need urgent cash to keep the windmill turning for another year.
Heighington & Aycliffe Railway Station, County Durham
Local campaigners are hoping to save this little old railway station, built in 1826 and considered to be the oldest in the world. The building became a pub in the ’80s but the pints stopped flowing in 2017 when the venue closed its' doors. Now, the Friends of the Stockton and Darlington Railway want to protect the station and reopen it for the community.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. Historic England has also taken 124 sites off the register that it says have been saved in the past year. Whether it’s thanks to community initiatives, charity donations, or owners' investments, plenty of historically important buildings have been protected. One success story is Sherbone House in Dorset, built way back in 1720 that sadly became disused. The Friends of Sherborne House formed to protect it, and now the house has not only been carefully repaired but now reopened as an arts venue, keeping the space alive for a new generation.
Find a list of all the London buildings added to Historic England’s register here.
You can see the full list of at-risk buildings on the Historic England website, and check out the organisation’s online toolkits for how to get involved in protecting heritage sites.
Have a look at these stunning Victorian buildings are risk of being lost to time
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