Hotel featured in Charles Dickens novel added to Historic England at risk register

A historic inn that featured in Charles Dickens’ novel, Pickwick Papers, has been added to Historic England’s 2023 at risk register.

 

It is among more than 15 hotels and pubs to feature on the list, which highlights buildings in need of protection.

 

Inspectors noted the Great White Horse Hotel, which occupies a Grade II*-listed building in Ipswich, has active dry rot in the Dickens room; loose cornice in the ballroom; and “significant issues” concerning the lack of capacity for rainwater gutters and downpipers.

 

According to the Ipswich Society, the hotel has stood since 1518 and welcomed notable patrons such as George II, Louis XVIII and Admiral Lord Nelson.

 

Other hotels listed as being at risk include the Waterloo Hotel in Sandwell, which was built in 1907 by Wood and Kendrick for local brewers Mitchells & Butler, and the Angel and Royal Hotel in Grantham, which is one of the few remaining English medieval inns from the 14th century.

 

The register also revealed there are several at risk properties that are being converted into hotels.

 

Hornsey Town Hall, a Grade II*-listed building in London's Crouch End, which was identified as being in “poor condition”, is undergoing construction work to be converted into a Dao by Dorsett aparthotel.

 

Permission has also been granted to develop the former police and fire station in Manchester into a hotel and office.

 

The Ivy Hall hotel in Richmond-upon-Thames is going through a pre-application scheme to be converted into residential use.

 

The register also featured five public houses that are currently in operation, including the Dukes Head in London, a corner public house dating back to 1900, and the Red Lion Public House in Southampton, a 15th century hall that is currently suffering from water ingress.

 

Over the past year, 159 historic buildings at risk of neglect, decay or inappropriate development have been added to Historic England’s register.

 

The first register was recorded in 1998 with the aim of preserving historically valuable sites across the country.

 

Nearly 7,000 entries have been removed from the register over the past 25 years.

 

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.”

 

Some of the hotels and pubs from the 2023 Historic England register are listed below:

• Great White Horse Hotel, Ipswich
• Railway Hotel, Edgware
• Royal Bell Hotel, Bromley
• Former White Hart Hotel, Edgware
• Baring Hall Hotel and Stable Block, Lewisham
• Burn Bullock Public House, Mitcham
• Ivy Hall Hotel, Richmond-upon-Thames
• The Royal Hotel, Ashby-de-la-Zouch
• Angel and Royal Hotel, Grantham
• Former White Hart Hotel, Newark
• Waterloo Hotel, Smethwick
• The Manor House Hotel, Cullompton
• The Fleece Hotel, Gloucester
• Academy Theatre and Great Western Hotel, Plymouth
• White Horse Hotel, Wincanton
• Dukes Head public house, East Ham
• Earl of Essex public house, Newham
• The Kentish Drovers public house, Peckham
• Red Lion public house, Southampton
• The Red Lion public house, Birmingham

 

Image Credit: Historic England Archive