The house where the Gunpowder Plot unravelled and a hotel that inspired Charles Dickens’ first novel are now among historic sites at risk of being lost to neglect and decay.
Some 159 buildings have been added to Historic England’s Heritage At Risk register, which details properties in danger unless efforts are made to improve them.
Holbeche House in the West Midlands was once owned by a member of the gang behind the Gunpowder Plot – but is now deemed to be at risk.
It was the final refuge of the plotters once they fled London after ringleader Robert Catesby was killed in a gunfight – three days after the failed attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament.
According to Historic England, the house was recently used a care home, but is now empty and a “site of concern for the local community”.
Image: Great White Horse Hotel in Ipswich. Pic: Historic England
Also on the list this year is the Great White Horse Hotel in Ipswich, Suffolk, which inspired Charles Dickens to write The Pickwick Papers.
The hotel also hosted the likes of Admiral Lord Nelson and The Beatles in its illustrious history.
More on Dorset
Related Topics:
However, it now has active dry rot in the space named after the British author – as well as deteriorating windows and drain pipes and gutters in poor condition.
Other major sites on the list include a church in Suffolk once painted by John Constable, the remains of a castle built during the reign of William the Conqueror in Kent, and a mansion in Devon that was used as a WWI hospital in 1914.
Advertisement
A number of sites have been removed from the list after being rescued – including the filming location for the Last Of The Summer Wine.
Holmfirth Conservation Area in West Yorkshire had its buildings repaired and repurposed after vacancy rates fell.
Image: Holmfirth in West Yorkshire, used as the setting for Last Of The Summer Wine. Pic: Historic England
Image: Former Methodist chapel, in Tolpuddle, Dorset. Pic: Historic England
A church in Dorset used by the Tolpuddle Martyrs, six men accused of swearing secret oaths in the 19th century, has also been saved, after 25 years on the register, using lottery grants.
Elsewhere, a Victorian substation in southwest London has been saved – as have the walls of Evesham Abbey in Worcestershire and a Napoleonic era arms depot in Northamptonshire.
Historic England said there are 48 fewer properties on the list than in 2022 – and 6,800 entries have been removed from the list since its inception in 1998.
Image: Remains of Evesham Abbey, Worcestershire. Pic: Historic England
Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Historic England said: “Protecting our heritage is so important. It is truly inspirational to see communities coming together to help save historic buildings and places and find new uses for them.
“The Heritage At Risk programme shines a light on our historic sites most in need and can help to attract funding and help.
“After a quarter of a century of the Heritage At Risk Register, we are celebrating how many places have been saved and continue to find new ways to involve local people in caring for and enjoying their heritage.”
Arts and heritage minister Lord Parkinson said: “It is heartening to see that so many sites have had their futures secured and have been taken off the register over the past year thanks to the hard work of Historic England and local people.
“I look forward to the new additions to the register receiving similar care and attention so that future generations can continue to enjoy and learn from our rich heritage for years to come.”
More than £7.6m in grants have been issued by Historic England for repairs to 155 sites on the Heritage At Risk register during 2022 and 2023.
Prince Harry has denied having a fight with Prince Andrew after it was claimed “punches were thrown” between the pair in 2013.
The allegations appeared in excerpts from a new book on the Duke of York being serialised in the Daily Mail.
It claims a row started after Prince Andrew said something behind Harry’s back, with Andrew “left with a bloody nose” and the pair needing to be broken up.
It also claimed the Duke of York once warned his nephew about marrying Meghan and suggested it wouldn’t last long.
However, a spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex strongly denied the claims.
“I can confirm Prince Harryand Prince Andrew have never had a physical fight, nor did Prince Andrew ever make the comments he is alleged to have made about the Duchess of Sussex to Prince Harry,” a statement said.
They said a legal letter had been sent to the Daily Mail due to “gross inaccuracies, damaging and defamatory remarks” in its reporting.
The book – Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York – is billed as the first joint biography of Prince Andrew and ex-wife Sarah Ferguson.
It’s said to be based on interviews with “over a hundred people who have never spoken before”.
He said his brother once knocked him to the floor amid a confrontation over Meghan’s “rude” and “abrasive” behaviour.
“It all happened so fast. So very fast,” Harry wrote in the book.
“He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dog’s bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me.”
“I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out,” the prince added.
Harry claimed his brother wanted him to hit him back “but I chose not to”, and that William later returned and apologised.
The Duke Of Sussex has described his relationship with his family as extremely strained after he quit as a working royal and took legal action against the media, and over the removal of his UK police protection.
He claimed earlier this year the King wouldn’t speak to him and there had “been so many disagreements between myself and some of my family”.
Martin Lewis says motorists who were mis-sold car finance are likely to receive “hundreds, not thousands of pounds” – with regulators launching a consultation on a new compensation scheme.
The founder of MoneySavingExpert.com believes it is “very likely” that about 40% of Britons who entered personal contact purchase or hire purchase agreements between 2007 and 2021 will be eligible for payouts.
“Discretionary commission arrangements” saw brokers and dealers charge higher levels of interest so they could receive more commission, without telling consumers.
Image: Pics: PA
Speaking to Sky News Radio’s Faye Rowlands, Lewis said: “Very rarely will it be thousands of pounds unless you have more than one car finance deal.
“So up to about a maximum of £950 per car finance deal where you are due compensation.”
Lewis explained that consumers who believe they may have been affected should check whether they had a discretionary commission arrangement by writing to their car finance company.
However, the personal finance guru warned against using a claims firm.
More on Money
Related Topics:
“They’re hardly going to do anything for you and you might get the money paid to you automatically anyway, in which case you’re giving them 30% for nothing,” he added.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
1:13
Who’s eligible for payout after car finance scandal?
Yesterday, the Financial Conduct Authority said its review of the past use of motor finance “has shown that many firms were not complying with the law or our disclosure rules that were in force when they sold loans to consumers”.
The FCA’s statement added that those affected “should be appropriately compensated in an orderly, consistent and efficient way”.
Lewis told Sky News that the consultation will launch in October – and will take six weeks.
“We expect payouts to come in 2026, assuming this will happen and it’s very likely to happen,” he said.
“As for exactly how will work, it hasn’t decided yet. Firms will have to contact people, although there is an issue about them having destroyed some of the data for older claims.”
He believes claims will either be paid automatically – or affected consumers will need to opt in and apply to get compensation back.
The FCA says you may be affected if you bought a car under a finance scheme, including hire purchase agreements, before 28 January 2021.
Anyone who has already complained does not need to do anything.
The authority added: “Consumers concerned that they were not told about commission, and who think they may have paid too much for the finance, should complain now”.
Its website advises drivers to complain to their finance provider first.
If you’re unhappy with the response, you can then contact the Financial Ombudsman.
Any compensation scheme will be easy to participate in, without drivers needing to use a claims management company or law firm.
The FCA has warned motorists that doing so could end up costing you 30% of any compensation in fees.
The FCA estimates the cost of any scheme – including compensation and administrative costs – to be no lower than £9bn.
But in a video on X, Lewis said that millions of people are likely to be due a share of up to £18bn.
The regulator’s announcement comes after the Supreme Court ruled on a separate, but similar, case on Friday.