Midland landmarks at risk or saved according to Historic England
ADDED TO REGISTER Dudley Castle, Dudley
Dudley Castle has had a long and varied history.
Elizabeth I was once a visitor and it was later considered as a potential residence for the imprisoned Mary, Queen of Scots.
During the Civil War it was a Royalist garrison, then a century later it was gutted by a fire and left to stand as a romantic ruin.
In 1937 the Earl of Dudley opened Dudley Zoological Society within the castle grounds, displaying a range of exotic animals, to the delight of visitors from far and wide.
2020 marks its 950th anniversary as 1070 was the year that Ansculf de Picquigny built the original motte and bailey.
Dudley Council, in partnership with Dudley Zoo and Castle (DZC), is working closely with key stakeholders, including the Friends of Dudley Castle, on proposals for the castle.
The result is an ambitious masterplan, ‘The Castle Hill Vision’, which includes a strong focus on the repair and conservation of the castle.
Historic England has been working closely with the council and DZC to find solutions for this local landmark, leading to its addition to the Heritage at Risk Register this year and the award of a repair grant towards plant clearance and a schedule of repairs to its standing remains.
SAVED Snodhill Castle, Peterchurch, Herefordshire
Snodhill Castle was founded at some time before 1136, probably by one of William the Conqueror’s lieutenants in the Welsh Marches.
It undoubtedly had a timber-framed tower and other wooden defences.
By the mid-12th century the castle was in the hands of the Chandos family, who were to hold it for 400 years.
The castle was re-fortified in stone, probably in a piecemeal fashion, at various points during the 12th to 15th centuries.
Today, it is owned and managed by the Snodhill Castle Preservation Trust (SCPT) and open to the public following repairs, funded by Historic England and the Garfield Weston Foundation amongst others.
Investigative work and repairs to an unstable section are now complete and clearance of the undergrowth has revealed the castle once more. Volunteers have worked hard to ensure the castle can now be visited and enjoyed by current and future generations.
SAVED Edgar Tower, King’s College, Worcester
The grade I-listed and scheduled Edgar Tower is a gatehouse at the east side of the College Green, part of King’s College.
The monument was rebuilt between 1300 and 1335, remodelled in 1369 and restored during the late 19th century.
Built from red sandstone with a concealed tile roof, it has octagonal embattled towers at each corner.
Major falls of sandstone and structural instability led to the tower being added to the Heritage at Risk Register.
As part of a wider repair scheme undertaken by Worcester Cathedral and King’s College, Historic England funded £188,645 of repairs and the tower has now been rescued and removed from the At Risk Register.