Heritage at Risk Register: 13 North West buildings added

Wavertree Botanic Garden and Park, the grade one-listed Church of St Wilfrid in Standish, and the grade two star-listed Flimby Hall in Maryport were all added to Historic England’s list of gardens and buildings in danger of being lost forever.

There are 4,891 entries total on the Heritage at Risk Register, which is updated every November. North West structures and parks make up a little less than 10% of that number – with 425 spaces claimed.

This year, 129 buildings and gardens were taken off of the list due to positive reasons, such as receiving grant funding or being repaired. However, 138 were added.

Of those 138, 13 are in the North West. They are:

1. Wavertree Botanic Garden and Park: grade two star-listed, medium risk
2. Church of St Peter on Broad Oak Road in Parr: grade two-listed, high risk
3. Church of St Paul on Cheser Road in Childer Thornton: grade two star-listed, medium risk
4. Flimby Hall on Wedgewood Road in Maryport: grade two star-listed, high risk
5. Church of St Mary on Church Street in Kirkby Lonsdsale: grade one-listed, high risk
6. Church of St John in Gressingham: grade one-listed, high risk
7. Priory and Parish Church of St Mary in Lancaster: grade one-listed, medium risk
8. Church of St Michael and All Angels on Orton Road in Wythenshawe: grade two star-listed, medium risk
9. Roman Catholic Church of St Patrick on Livesey Street in Collyhurst: grade two-listed, high risk
10. Church of St Wilfrid on Market Place in Standish: grade one-listed, high risk
11. Church of St Paul on Scotforth Road in Lancaster: grade two-listed, high risk
12. Gosforth Library and Village Hall in Gosforth: grade two star-listed, medium risk
13. St Andrews Church on Rossall Road in Thornton: grade two-listed, medium risk

The Church of St Wilfrid is a notable addition. It is the only grade one-listed building in the borough of Wigan and completed a renovation of its spire in August – work that had been designed by Patrick Wilson Architects. While the spire may be fixed up, the ceiling contains another problem for the church – an infestation of death watch beetles. Rector Andrew Holliday made the media arounds over the weekend, telling Radio Manchester about how the beetle’s larva have caused “catastrophic damage” to the ceiling, hallowing out some of the load-bearing wooden beams.

Of the 129 that were removed from the national Heritage at Risk Register, nine are in the North West. One of them, the grade two star-listed Flaybrick Memorial Gardens in Wirral received a Historic England grant for its repair. The organisation gave out a total of £7.4m to 123 entries over the past year. Others were removed due to being repaired or having their site management improved.

The entries removed from the list are:

1. Flaybrick Memorial Gardens in Wirral
2. Storeton Hall on Red Hill Road in Bebington
3. Newland Blast Furnace (Blacking Mill only) in Egton with Newland
4. Lower Chesham Hall on Bell Lane in Bury
5. Church of St Peter on Woodhouse Lane in Heversham
6. Christ Church on Stricklandgate in Penrith
7. Church of St Anne on Meadowcroft in Hugill
8. Church of St James on Mill Lane in Ormside
9. Greek Church of Annunciation on Bury New Road in Salford

Regarding the register, Historic England chief executives Claudia Kenyatta and Emma Squire said: “The heritage we see all around us impacts how we feel about our local places. The annual Heritage at Risk Register gives us the opportunity to celebrate the many benefits of bringing our historic buildings back into use.”

They continued: “The best way to protect our buildings is to reuse them, turning them into places of local connection and joy. The sites that have been saved and have come off the Register this year really highlight the benefits of working together in partnership, and with communities, to create positive, sustainable change. Together we can safeguard our heritage for future generations.”