Thirty historic sites in the North East have had their futures secured and been taken off an at-risk register during the past year – including the Grade I-listed St Andrew’s Church in Sunderland, described as a “cathedral of the Arts and Crafts Movement”.

Historic England’s 2019 Heritage at Risk Register, published today, also reveals that 13 sites have been added to the under-threat list.

Kate Wilson, Heritage at Risk lead for Historic England in the North East, said: “I’m delighted that we’ve seen an overall reduction in the number of entries on the register in the North East.

“Restoring and finding a new purpose for our threatened heritage sites is a difficult and gruelling job that takes tremendous dedication and tenacity.

“Every site to come off the register tells a story of hard work, ingenuity and passion from the communities, heritage professionals and organisations that have fought to save it.

“I congratulate them all and look forward to working with those who will be taking on the challenge of securing the futures of the newly-added sites.”

In Northumberland, eight sites have been added to the register and 16 have been saved.

The County Hotel, Priestpopple, Hexham

Hexham’s historic centre has suffered from shop closures with many premises now lying vacant and falling into disrepair, and it’s conservation area has been added to the register.

In response, Northumberland County Council successfully bid for Hexham to be made a High Street Heritage Action Zone. This will unlock funding to repair the historic buildings around Priestpopple and Battle Hill, and find new uses for vacant sites.

Blyth conservation area has also been added to the register.

Carrshield lead mines and ore works however have been saved and taken off the list of at-risk sites.

Situated in the West Allen Valley in the North Pennines, this monument includes the remains of two lead mines and an ore works, which collectively span three centuries of mining history.

At its heart is the mid-18th century Barneycraig lodging shop, which served as the centre of mining operations, containing accommodation, an office, a blacksmiths and stables for pit ponies.

Ceiling mural painted 1927 by MacDonald Gill in the Church of St Andrew, Talbot Road, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear
Ceiling mural painted 1927 by MacDonald Gill in the Church of St Andrew, Talbot Road, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear

In 2017, the building was at imminent risk of collapsing. But thanks to a North Pennines Area of National Beauty Partnership project, funded by Historic England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, it was renovated using traditional methods and now serves as a camping barn for walkers, cyclists and dark sky astronomers.

There has also been a major project funded - by the Coal Authority and the Environment Agency - to repair a riverside wall, protecting the ore works and helping to prevent heavy metal pollution entering the waterway..

In Tyne & Wear two sites have been added to the list including the Church of St Columba, Chapel of Light, Sunderland. This late 19th century large red brick church was designed by the prolific Victoria architect Charles Hodgson Fowler and is home to the Chapel of Light, Maximum Impact Christian Centre.

Inside the walls have been decorated with biblical paintings by the artist James Eadie-Reid who was inspired by his visits to the Holy Land, but these are beginning to deteriorate due to damp.

Historic England and the Tyne & Wear Building Preservation Trust are working with the church to explore options to secure the building’s future, which is not only used as a place of worship but as a community hub.

All Saints' Church in Newcastle
All Saints' Church in Newcastle

However, St Andrew’s Church in Roker, Sunderland, is among four sites which are able to be taken off the register.

John Priestman, a wealthy local shipyard owner and businessman, offered to become the church’s patron and principal benefactor.

The church, built in 1906-7, is the masterpiece of architect Edward S Prior and is celebrated for its majestic limestone exterior and exquisite interior, which includes a stunning wall and ceiling mural which depicts the creation of the cosmos.

Concerns about the structural integrity of the windows and leaks in the tower led it to being placed on the at risk register in 2013. An extensive programme of repairs has resulted in its removal this year.

In addition to St Andrews in Roker, also saved is the Church of St Mary Magdalene in Belmont, County Durham, and in Northumberland the Church of St George in Prudhoe , St James’ Church in Shilbottle and St Michael’s Church in Alnham.

Winlaton Iron Works, Gateshead – developed on four acres by the River Derwent in 1691 by Ambrose Crowley, the leading supplier of ironwork to the Royal Navy – are also able to be taken off the at-risk register.

The iron works, at Winlaton Mill, were unprecedented in their scale and complexity and some have argued that the works are the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution.

A scenic view of Winlaton Mill in 1933
A scenic view of Winlaton Mill in 1933

They closed in 1863 and were buried by waste from a nearby cokeworks and colliery. The iron works dam, with its curved 18th century spillway, remained above ground but was largely obscured by dense vegetation. Since 2017 Historic England and Gateshead Council have been working to remove this vegetation and repair the dam wall and spillway.

Whinfield coking ovens, built in the 1870s to make coke from coal from the nearby Victoria Garesfield and Watergate collieries in Gateshead, have also been saved.

Originally, there were 193 ovens but after the site closed in 1958, most of the site was demolished. However, five complete and two partial ovens were preserved and they were registered as a scheduled monument in 1975.

Historic England initially grant-aided Tyne and Wear Building Preservation Trust to undertake emergency works and carry out detailed project development work. Now, thanks to funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Land of Oak & Iron Landscape Partnership, the remaining coking ovens have been repaired and better public access created.

All Saints Church, Newcastle remains on the register but listed as making good progress. Completed in 1796, it is admired for its rare oval design and impressive baroque tower, which is a dominant feature of the Newcastle skyline. All Saints was the parish church for Newcastle’s Quayside until it closed in 1959.

In the 1970s it was sold to Newcastle City Council and was used as a rehearsal space for the Royal Northern Sinfonia and as an urban studies centre. However, the building remained empty for almost a decade and was facing an uncertain future until Gateshead Presbyterian Church stepped forward this year with a proposal to re-establish the building as a place of worship and community venue.

The building is currently undergoing a programme of repairs, part funded by Historic England, and re-opened as a place of worship last Sunday for the first time in 60 years.

In Country Durham two sites have been added and eight sites have been saved.

Auckland Castle's West Mural Tower with David Ronn, project manager and volunteers Ruth Storey and Cheryl Blakey
Auckland Castle's West Mural Tower with David Ronn, project manager and volunteers Ruth Storey and Cheryl Blakey

West Mural Tower, Bishop Auckland is among those saved. Part of Auckland Castle, the Grade I-listed tower dates to at least the 15th century and served as a defensive gatehouse.

The building was derelict for many years and was saved from the brink of collapse by a Historic England/Auckland Project-funded restoration programme, as part of the Bishop Auckland Heritage Action Zone.

Much of the original structure was taken down and rebuilt, together with new stone sourced from a local quarry, which closely resembles the original material. The project was aided by local volunteers who helped with the masonry work and researched the history of the tower. It was reopened this summer and will be used for educational activities.

Brancepeth Castle, County Durham is listed as making good progress. The Grade I-listed County Durham castle’s history that spans more than 800 years and has been owned by the Dobson family, who have worked to mend the leaking roofs and crumbling walls, caused by years of neglect.

Despite their efforts, much work remains to be done to bring the building back to good health.

In 2017, Historic England gave a grant of £400,000 for emergency roofing works and stonework repairs. Now complete, this work has ensured the continued use of the castle as a venue for weddings and public events and enabled the family to develop plans for future business opportunities and public access.

But the Goods Shed, North Road, Darlington, has been added to the at-risk register. Built in 1833, this Grade II-star listed goods shed formed part of the early development of the Stockton & Darlington Railway – the world’s first example of a modern railway network which opened in 1825.

The building is currently used to mend locomotives but it has fallen into a poor state of repair. However, it has been earmarked for restoration as part of a multi-million pound project to transform the 26 miles of railway into a major tourist attraction ahead of its bicentenary in 2025.

In total, the North East’s 2019 Heritage At Risk Register has 269 entries, including 84 Grade I and II-star listed buildings and structural scheduled monuments; 26 places of worship; 119 archaeology entries; six parks and gardens; one battlefield and 33 conservation areas.