More than 80 buildings and scheduled monuments across north Northumberland have been deemed to be at risk by English Heritage.
Ford Castle, St Ebba’s Chapel in Beadnell and the medieval chapel on St Cuthbert’s Isle are among the historical buildings which make it on to the organisation’s 2011 Heritage at Risk register.
Others include Ford Colliery, Barmoor Castle, St Cuthbert’s Church in Norham, Cornhill Castle and Twizel Medieval Tower House.
Carol Pyrah, English Heritage regional planning director, said: “At 6.3 per cent, compared to the national average of three per cent, the north east still has the biggest percentage of its grade I and II buildings at risk.
“A total of £1.6m in grant aid was offered to sites in the north east in 2010/11; positive news derived from persistent, constructive liaison with many stakeholders.
“The very real danger is that the current squeeze on public and private sector resources, both human and monetary, will, in time, undermine this effort and see a reversal of many of the recent positive trends.”
However, she had praise for the co-operative working of a Heritage Partnership Agreement between English Heritage and the owner of a sizeable collection of scheduled monuments situated within a large swathe of Ingram Valley.
She said: “Discussion and co-operation has produced a cohesive plan for the repair and future maintenance of the assets at Ingram Valley.”
In its fourth year, the Heritage at Risk register now includes grade I and II buildings, listed places of worship, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, registered battlefields, protected wreck sites and conservation areas known to be at risk as a result of neglect, decay or inappropriate development.
The register for the north east reveals 13.4 per cent of scheduled monuments are at risk (16.9 per cent nationally); six per cent of conservation areas surveyed are at risk and 5.6 per cent of registered parks and gardens are at risk (6.4 per cent nationally).
Twenty-four entries have been removed in the last year from the register in the north east because their futures have been secured, but 11 have been added.
Ford Castle is a new entry in this year’s list and is described as being in poor condition. Concern is raised about dry rot, defective masonry and leaking roofs.
Twizel Medieval Tower is showing signs of structural instability, Ford Colliery is in need of significant restoration, Barmoor Castle has deteriorated since repairs were carried out in 1986 and the Haggerston dovecote is in need of management, states the report.
There are also concerns for The Palace medieval house and Tudor supply base on Holy Island where a proposed repair scheme stalled and the monument is now described as in very bad condition.
Plant growth on cup and ring marked rocks on Dod Law, Doddington is a noted problem, while erosion of the prehistoric Iron Age hillfort at Humbleton Hill means it is also included on the list.
Source: The Berwick Advertiser [October 24, 2011]
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| Ford Castle, Northumberland [Credit: North of the Tyne] |
Others include Ford Colliery, Barmoor Castle, St Cuthbert’s Church in Norham, Cornhill Castle and Twizel Medieval Tower House.
Carol Pyrah, English Heritage regional planning director, said: “At 6.3 per cent, compared to the national average of three per cent, the north east still has the biggest percentage of its grade I and II buildings at risk.
“A total of £1.6m in grant aid was offered to sites in the north east in 2010/11; positive news derived from persistent, constructive liaison with many stakeholders.
“The very real danger is that the current squeeze on public and private sector resources, both human and monetary, will, in time, undermine this effort and see a reversal of many of the recent positive trends.”
However, she had praise for the co-operative working of a Heritage Partnership Agreement between English Heritage and the owner of a sizeable collection of scheduled monuments situated within a large swathe of Ingram Valley.
She said: “Discussion and co-operation has produced a cohesive plan for the repair and future maintenance of the assets at Ingram Valley.”
In its fourth year, the Heritage at Risk register now includes grade I and II buildings, listed places of worship, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, registered battlefields, protected wreck sites and conservation areas known to be at risk as a result of neglect, decay or inappropriate development.
The register for the north east reveals 13.4 per cent of scheduled monuments are at risk (16.9 per cent nationally); six per cent of conservation areas surveyed are at risk and 5.6 per cent of registered parks and gardens are at risk (6.4 per cent nationally).
Twenty-four entries have been removed in the last year from the register in the north east because their futures have been secured, but 11 have been added.
Ford Castle is a new entry in this year’s list and is described as being in poor condition. Concern is raised about dry rot, defective masonry and leaking roofs.
Twizel Medieval Tower is showing signs of structural instability, Ford Colliery is in need of significant restoration, Barmoor Castle has deteriorated since repairs were carried out in 1986 and the Haggerston dovecote is in need of management, states the report.
There are also concerns for The Palace medieval house and Tudor supply base on Holy Island where a proposed repair scheme stalled and the monument is now described as in very bad condition.
Plant growth on cup and ring marked rocks on Dod Law, Doddington is a noted problem, while erosion of the prehistoric Iron Age hillfort at Humbleton Hill means it is also included on the list.
Source: The Berwick Advertiser [October 24, 2011]