Historic Sites Across UK Added to Heritage at Risk Register
Hall's Croft and The Lion Hotel among 58 Midlands sites newly listed, while others like Edward Jenner’s hut are saved.
Callum Smith
Hall's Croft in Stratford-upon-Avon and The Lion Hotel in Shrewsbury have been added to Historic England's Heritage at Risk Register.
Clifford Castle near Hay-on-Wye, previously removed from the register, now returns; heavy rain damaged its Rosamund Tower. Fylingdales Moor joined the list after a 2025 wildfire damaged scheduled monuments and listed buildings. The North Yorkshire fire and rescue service confirmed the blaze affected about 25 square kilometres of moorland and forest.
Hall's Croft, the 17th-century home of Shakespeare's daughter Susanna, requires urgent funding. Its exterior needs repair, including damage from a vehicle impact. Historic England states further funding is needed for repairs and restoration at the site.
Hastings Castle in East Sussex faces vulnerability. Its exposed setting and ongoing coastal erosion contribute to the risk. Extreme weather events made the castle's ruins fragile, Historic England reports.
Dickens’ writing chalet in Rochester also became fragile and needs repair, Historic England confirms. Medway Council secured a £240,000 grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, supplemented by council funding and a contribution from the Dickens Fellowship, for the chalet's restoration.
Every part of the UK is bursting with history, so it is vital we protect the heritage sites at the heart of communities which help tell the stories of our nation.
Baroness Twycross stated, "Every part of the UK is bursting with history, so it is vital we protect the heritage sites at the heart of communities which help tell the stories of our nation." She added, "However, this year’s register is an important reminder of the pressures facing our historic environment, from ageing buildings and structural deterioration to the impacts of extreme weather."
Historic England spent over £12 million on grants. These funds supported repairs to 135 sites on the register during 2025-26, bringing the Heritage at Risk Register to 4,991 entries.
Emma Squire claims the 197 additions to the register were diverse. She notes some high-profile sites in danger might surprise people. Climate change, including hotter summers and stormier winters, stresses historic sites.
Despite the new additions, several sites have been saved and removed from the list. Edward Jenner’s hut in Berkeley, Gloucestershire, has been preserved, alongside Newlyn Harbour in Cornwall, Loftus conservation area in Cleveland and Redcar, the Severn Wharf Building in Shropshire, and Wolterton Hall Park and Gardens in Norfolk.
The Severn Wharf Building in Ironbridge, known as the Museum of the Gorge, was removed after a £260,000 repair programme following flood damage in 2020. Burslem Conservation Area in Stoke-on-Trent, added last year due to structural decline, shows signs of recovery with ongoing repair and regeneration projects.