Three local historic constructs are on Historic England‘s At Risk Register, which identifies structures most at risk of being lost as a result of neglect, decay or inappropriate development.
They include the Queen Victoria Memorial in Dalton Square, a Grade II listed monument erected in 1906. Considered in a “poor” condition, suffering from corroding bronze, graffiti, staining of the stonework and pointing.
Lancaster City Council has said it hopes to conserve the memorial, but in the past, councillors didn’t seem to know the best way to fund the expensive costs involved, especially at a time when its budget for vital services is being squeezed.
Also still at risk are the Winter Gardens, in Morecambe, the Grade II* listed theatre, is said to be in “fair condition”.
Morecambe Winter Gardens Preservation Trust owns and looks after the building, and a huge amount of work has been done to improve it, with a view to full reopening. In 2021, a new heating system was installed with a Coastal Communities grant and a Historic England Repair Grant for Heritage at Risk funded a first phase of repair to the fibrous plaster ceiling. This was followed by a second phase funded through the Culture Recovery Fund, including repairs to the roof. An options appraisal is looking at how more of the building can be brought back in to use, and a costed condition survey is planned.
The old Engine Running Sheds in Carnforth, for steam locomotive stabling and servicing built between 1940-44, are a Grade II* listed and said to be in a “very bad” condition. According to the report, “the condition of the reinforced concrete frame is very poor and deteriorating.”
All of Carnforth is in a Conservation area.
Historic England’s Heritage at Risk programme helps us understand the overall state of England’s historic sites. The programme identifies those sites that are most at risk of being lost as a result of neglect, decay or inappropriate development.
Every year Historic England updates the Heritage at Risk Register. The end result is a dynamic picture of the sites most at risk and most in need of safeguarding for the future.