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Heritage buildings at risk across Kent

Cooling Castle
Cooling Castle

More than 100 heritage buildings and
sites across Kent are at risk of decay.

That's according to a report out today from English Heritage, which has highlighted dozens of monuments, castles, cathedral buildings or fortifications which could be lost forever unless restoration work is carried out.

And the situation is not set to improve soon - as the economic
downturn is eating into plans to restore ancient buildings.

In Kent alone, a total of 113 sites are listed as 'at risk'.
These include Greyfriars Monastery and monuments in Canterbury
Cathedral's precincts, Cooling Castle, Martello towers in
Folkestone, the Boat Store at Sheerness Dockyard and sunken ships
whose history dates back centuries.

But there is good news - of the 5,574 Grade I and II* listed
building in the South East, two in Kent are coming off the
register.

These are:

* The Montreal Park Obelisk, Riverhead

* The bar at Westenhanger Castle, Westenhanger.

Dr Andy Brown, English Heritage regional director in the South
East, said: "Tackling the most vulnerable of historic assets is
always challenging and becomes even more so in a recession.

"At some sites, even though plans have been agreed, work will
not start until the economy recovers.

"Elsewhere, improvement or repair works have only been partially
completed when contractors have gone into receivership and projects
have stalled."

Two examples of this are Swaylands, a Grade II registered park
and garden and the Smithery at Chatham Dockyard, which have both
suffered delays. Now they are on track and nearing completion.

The new annual list was announced at Hadlow Tower, the Grade I
listed remains of 19th century Hadlow Castle - the tallest
surviving Gothic revival folly in England.

The register identifies the area's most important Grade I and
II* listed buildings, monuments, parks and gardens, battlefields,
wreck sites and conservation areas.


Kent's 'at risk' sites

Ashford

Remains of Archbishops Palace, Charing

Runs of Church of St Mary, Little Chart

Wye Undercroft, Wye with Hinxhill

Castle Toll Saxon burgh and medieval fort, Newenden

Canterbury

Greyfriars Monastery

Monuments in the precinct of Canterbury Cathedra

Horton Manor Chapel, Chartham

Barn at Hardres Court, Upper Hardres

Bowl barrow, Adisham

Enclosures west of Woodlands, Adisham

Dartford

Roman enclosure south east of Vagniacae, Southfleet

Springhead Roman site, Southfleet

Dartford town centre

Dover

The Western Heights fortifications, Castle Hill, Dover

Fort Burgoyne, Connaught Barracks, Guston

St Radegunds Abbey, Hougham Without

The Belvedere, Shepherdswell with Coldred

Great Mongeham Anglo-Saxon cemetery, Great Mongeham

Ring ditch east of Parsonage Farm, Preston

Four ring ditches at Sutton Hill, Sutton

Romano-Celtic temple and Iron Age site south of Worth

Gravesham

The Dairy, Cobham Hall, Cobham

Maidstone

Boxley Abbey Barn, Boxley

St Andrews Chapel, Boxley Abbey

Dovecotes at Leeds Priory, Leeds

Slype and remains at Leeds Priory

11 Lower Stone Street, Maidstone

Ruined gatway, College of All Saints, Maidstone

The Dungeons at the Archbishop's Palace, Maidstone

Mote House, Mote Park, Maidstone

Leeds Priory

Binbury motte and bailey Castle, Thurnham

Boxley Abbey

Elmstone Hole, Grafty Green

Sevenoaks

Chapel, Maplescombe, West Kingsdown

Combe Bank, Sundridge with Ide Hill

Swaylands, Penshurst

Brasted High Street

Chiddingstone

Edenbridge

Halstead

Kippington and Oakhill road, Sevenoaks

Otford

Riverhead

Seal

Sevenoaks High Street

Shoreham High Street

South Darenth

Sundridge

The Vine, Sevenoaks

Vine Court, Sevenoaks

Shepway

Martello Towers numbers 4,5,6,7 and 9 in Folkestone and
Hythe

Romano-British building south of Burch's Rough, Lympne

Motte and Bailey Castle, Stowting

Bowl barrow 150m north east of Red House Farm, Swingfield

Bowl barrow at Minnis Beeches, Swingfield

Dungeness

Lydd

Sandgate High Street

Swale

Ruins of Shurland Hall, Eastchurch

Medieval Stables at Abbey Farm, Abbey Fields

Provender, Norton

Former Medway Ports Authority offices, Sheerness Docks

Coach Houses, Naval Terrace, Sheerness Docks

1-15 Regency Close, Sheerness Docks

Former Royal Dockyard Church, Sheerness Dockyard

The Boat Store, Sheerness Dockyard

Former working mast house, Sheerness Dockyard

Murston Old Church, Sittingbourne

51 High Street, Sittingbourne

Sheerness Defences, Swale

Thanet

The Shell Grotto, Margate

Dreamland Cinema, Margate

Barn about 50m east of Ozengell Grange, Ramsgate

Ring ditches at closures east of College Farm, Acol

Ring ditches north west of Great Brooks End Farm,
Birchington

Anglo-Saxon cemetery, Dane Valley Road, Broadstairs and St
Peters

Double ring ditch near Danes Court, Broadstairs and St
Peters

Anglo-Saxon south of Ozengell Grange, Margate and Ramsgate

Quex Park settlements, Margate and Ramsgate

Settlement one mil east of Margate and Ramsgate

Enclosure near Minster Laundry, Minster

Tonbridge and Malling

Hadlow tower, High Street, Hadlow

Romano-British villa, Anglo-Saxon cemetery and remains,
Eccles

Chapel of St Blaise, Offham

Town banks, Tonbridge

Tunbridge Wells

Providence Chapel, Cranbrook

High Rocks Camp, Tunbridge Wells

Somerhill, Capel

Bayham Abbey, Frant

Tunbridge Wells

Off Kent

The London, Thames Estuary

The Northumberland, Goodwin Sands

The Restoration, Goodwin Sands

Rooswijk, Goodwin Sands

Stirling Castle, Goodwin Sands

Medway

The Chapel of St Bartholomew, Chatham

Cliffe Fort, Cliffe

Cooling Castle, Cooling

Barn south east of the manor, Upnor Road, Frindsbury Extra

Brompton Lines, Gillingham

Fort Darnet, Gillingham

No 8 machine shop, Chatham Dockyard

Cockham Wood Fort, Hoo St Werburgh

fort Hoo, Hoo St Werburgh

Artillery Tower, Isle of Grain

Brompton Lines, Fort Amherts, Rochester

351 High Street, Rochester

Priors Gate, The Precinct, Rochester

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