Heritage at Risk in the East of England Revealed

Bourn Mill, one of the oldest windmills in England, was purchased and saved from dereliction in 1932 by the charity Cambridge Past, Present & Future.

At risk of collapse, it was added to the Heritage at Risk Register in 2021. Working in partnership with volunteers, local people, private donors, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Historic England, the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings and other funders has enabled the urgent repair of this special local landmark.

Minsden Chapel is an isolated ruined structure in Chapelfoot, Hertfordshire. It was built around the 14th century and last used for regular services in the 17th century.

Abandoned and left to deteriorate, it was still providing a place of worship for a large congregation of non-Conformists in the 18th century.

The chapel was added to the Heritage at Risk register in 2009. A major repair project, funded by Natural England through the Countryside Stewardship Scheme, has ensured the safety and future of the chapel.

Originally a 16th- to 17th-century timber-framed building, the Great White Horse Hotel was refronted, using Suffolk white bricks, in the early 19th century.  A regular guest was Charles Dickens, who drew inspiration for the inn in his first novel, The Pickwick Papers.  
 
There is dry rot in the ‘Dickens Room’, detaching plaster and deteriorating windows and joinery. Historic England is discussing the building’s challenges with the local authority, the tenant and landlord.  

A church has stood on the site of St Mary’s for at least a thousand years. It was rebuilt in the 15th century. The church tower was an inspiration to landscape artist John Constable.
     
In October 2020, the fall of some of the south aisle wall revealed further structural instability.
  
The Parochial Church Council has conducted a successful fundraising campaign. Historic England has awarded a repair grant of £135,507. Repairs are due to be completed by December 2023.