‘Arthur’s Camelot’ is among sites added to at-risk register
BRIGHTON’S Madeira Terraces, one of England’s oldest public libraries and a cemetery built in an abandoned quarry are among the historic sites now at risk of being lost forever.
But this year’s Heritage at Risk Register reveals better news for sites such as a London church known as the “birthplace of feminism” and a Somerset hillfort thought to be Arthur’s Camelot, which have been restored.
They are among 181 historic sites which have been taken off the at-risk register this year, having been saved from neglect, decay or inappropriate development.
But 216 sites have been added to the register, produced by Government heritage agency Historic England, because of concerns over their condition.
It brings the combined number of buildings, sites, areas and heritage on the register to 5,097, some 24 more than in 2019.
Places at risk include 1,475 buildings and structures, 2,090 archaeological sites, 932 places of worship, 103 registered parks and gardens, 491 conservation areas, three battlefields and three protected wreck sites.
New additions include Grade I listed Plume Library, including the tower of former church of St Peter in Maldon, Essex, which contains more than 7,000 volumes, mostly from the 16th and 17th century, and which is at risk of its ceiling collapsing and possible structural movement and cracking.
Brighton’s striking Victorian Madeira Terrace, with its 805 metres of cast iron arches along the seafront, is in a very poor and deteriorating condition, and has been closed to the public since 2012 amid concerns over its structural stability.
The Grade I listed St James’s Gardens cemetery in Liverpool in a former stone quarry has been added to the list in the face of neglect, invasive vegetation and poor conservation repairs.
Historic sites which have been saved include St Mary’s Church in Guildford, in Surrey, where children’s author Lewis Carroll preached, has been saved with the help of repairs to decaying stonework, while Cadbury Castle in Somerset, thought by legend to be the lost Camelot, has been restored by clearance of invasive plants on the hillfort.
Cadbury Castle has captivated the imagination of antiquarians and visitors alike for centuries. The castle has strong associations with Arthurian legend and is known to many as the lost Camelot.
Since the late 19th century, changes in the management of the land have led to the colonisation of trees and a thick, impenetrable layer of invasive vegetation across most of the ramparts on all sides. As a result, problems have developed including heavy erosion.
In the past three years, Historic England has worked with the owner to systematically clear most of the invasive vegetation, revealing for the first time in decades the sinuous line of the upper ramparts on the southern side, the prehistoric access route to the camp and the fortified Iron Age entrance.
Another success story in the West is the medieval Market Cross in the heart of Castle Combe. Owned by the parish council, it has been a welcome shelter for visitors to the village but concerns about its condition were raised when slates began slipping from the roof in 2015.
Historic England has been working with the owner since then and awarded a grant of £9,000 that contributed to a better understanding of its defects and an answer for its repair.
In autumn 2019, works began on a conservation project on the Market
Cross to renew the Cotswold stone roofing slates and repair the roof structure, stone columns and plinth. Historic England invested a further £23,000 (matched by the Parish Council), provided technical support and worked closely with the owner’s professional advisers. The works were carried out by experienced conservation contractors and were completed in March 2020, allowing the building to be removed from the Register.
The publication of the Heritage at Risk list comes against a backdrop of a difficult year for heritage in light of the coronavirus pandemic, but Historic England said investing in historic places could contribute to a sustainable recovery, and such sites have provided an anchor for communities in uncertain times.
Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Historic England, said: “It is the varied tapestry of our historic places that helps us define who we are.
“In testing times such as these, heritage can give us a sense of continuity and bring us solace. We also know that investing in historic places can help boost our economic recovery.
“The 181 places rescued from the register this year show us that good progress is being made, but there is still a long way to go.
“Many more historic buildings and places need caring for, financial support, strong partnership-working and community engagement to give them a brighter future.”