Dickens chalet and Shakespeare sites added to heritage at risk

Summarised from 3 outlets · 4 reports · Updated 5 Nov, 09:57 · Archive

Charles Dickens' writing chalet and other landmarks have been added to Historic England's register of nearly 5,000 sites at risk of decay or loss.

Nearly 200 historic sites have been added to Historic England's latest heritage at risk register, bringing the total number of at-risk places to close to 5,000. The additions include buildings, places of worship, archaeological sites, parks, gardens, conservation areas, battlefields and protected wreck sites facing neglect, decay or inappropriate change.

Charles Dickens' writing chalet in Rochester, Kent, is among the newly listed sites. The two-storey Swiss chalet, originally a Christmas gift to Dickens in 1864, once stood in his garden at Gads Hill Place before being moved to Eastgate House in Rochester in the 1960s. The author used it as a quiet workspace to write several novels including Our Mutual Friend, The Uncommercial Traveller and his final unfinished work The Mystery of Edwin Drood. The building is now Grade I-listed but in poor condition, with timber decay and structural instability preventing public access.

Hall's Croft in Stratford-upon-Avon, a 17th-century house where William Shakespeare's daughter Susanna lived with her husband Dr John Hall, has also been added to the register. The building faces major conservation challenges, including damage to its exterior caused by a vehicle strike, and requires urgent funding for repairs.

Hastings Castle in East Sussex, built by William the Conqueror after the Norman invasion of 1066, and Fylingdales Moor in North Yorkshire, which was devastated by wildfire in summer, are also among the new additions. The Guardian reports that climate change is placing stress on historic sites, with hotter summers and stormier winters increasing peril.

Medway Council has secured £240,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, supplemented by £40,000 of council funding and £5,000 from the Dickens Fellowship, to develop restoration plans for the chalet. Emma Squire, joint chief executive of Historic England, said the additions showed that 'even places regarded as very special can sometimes be at risk of decay or loss'.

How it is being reported

• Chalet where Charles Dickens wrote his final work added to Historic England's 'at risk' registerThere are close to 5,000 buildings or sites on the Historic England register which are at risk of neglect, decay or inappropriate changeThe Independent · 5 Nov, 12:29
• Norman conquest castle and Dickens chalet among sites added to heritage at risk registerWilliam the Conquerer-built Hastings Castle and Swiss-style writing retreat in Kent two of nearly 200 additions to list A castle built by William the Conquerer, a Swiss-style chalet where Charles Dickens wrote and a swathe of fire-blasted moorland are among sites that have been added to Historic England’s heritage at risk register . Almost 200 historic places have been added to the already extensive list, including Hastings Castle in East Sussex , Dickens’ wooden writing retreat in Kent and Fylingdales Moor in North Yorkshire, which was devastated by a wildfire in the summer. Continue…The Guardian · 5 Nov, 06:00
• Revealed: The 197 historic sites in England that are at risk of being lost FOR EVER - including Shakespeare's daughter's home and Charles Dickens' writing chaletSome of England's best-loved historic landmarks, including the former home of William Shakespeare's daughter and Charles Dickens' secluded writing retreat, are at risk of being lost forever.Daily Mail · 5 Nov, 00:01
• Charles Dickens’ writing chalet among UK landmarks at risk of being lostThere are close to 5,000 buildings or sites on the Historic England register which are at risk of neglect, decay or inappropriate changeThe Independent · 5 Nov, 00:01

In this story: Charles Dickens · William Shakespeare · Historic England · Rochester · Stratford-upon-Avon · Hastings

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