Salford’s Church of the Ascension is amongst a number of buildings added to the saved list as Historic England publishes its annual Heritage at Risk Register for 2023.
The Register is the yearly health-check of England’s most valued historic places and those most at risk of being lost forever as a result of neglect, decay or inappropriate development.
Built in 1869, the Church of the Ascension was added to the Heritage at Risk register in 2014. Despite initial repairs to the roof and walls from 2015, a devastating fire in February 2017 left it in ruins, destroying timber, glazing, the roof and flooring.
Through the Church’s hard work, community support, and professional expertise, the church was fully restored.
This award-winning project has successfully used traditional materials and techniques to restore lost or damaged elements.
Marple’s 225-year-old Gothic-style lime kilns, named after industrialist Samuel Oldknow, have also be added to the saved list
They processed limestone delivered by canal. The quicklime produced served purposes including mortar, fertiliser and textile bleaching. Neglect and loose masonry placed the kilns on Historic England’s Heritage At Risk Register for over a decade.
With the committed work of the Friends of Oldknow’s Lime Kilns and grants exceeding £90,000 from Historic England, Stockport Council and the Association for Industrial Archaeology, the kilns have been restored.
In the North West, 6 sites have been added to the register because of concerns about their condition.
They are at risk of being lost forever as a result of neglect, decay or inappropriate development.
Among them is St. Alphonsa’s, in Preston, a noteworthy example of Gothic Revival architecture by London’s Joseph John Scoles, stands at the heart of the St. Ignatius Square Conservation Area, surrounded by Grade II listed terraces.
Built from 1833-36 to serve Preston’s growing Catholic population during the 19th-century industrialization, it features stunning interiors with gold angel corbels, intricate stonework, mosaics, and marble sculptures.
Challenges include rot and masonry movement, prompting ongoing restoration efforts to maintain its historic significance.
In total, there are 413 entries across the North West on the 2023 Heritage at Risk Register.
