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More than 100 heritage buildings and
sites across Kent are at risk of decay.
That's according to a report out today from English Heritage, which has highlighted dozens of monuments, castles, cathedral buildings or fortifications which could be lost forever unless restoration work is carried out.
And the situation is not set to improve soon - as the economic
downturn is eating into plans to restore ancient buildings.
In Kent alone, a total of 113 sites are listed as 'at risk'.
These include Greyfriars Monastery and monuments in Canterbury
Cathedral's precincts, Cooling Castle, Martello towers in
Folkestone, the Boat Store at Sheerness Dockyard and sunken ships
whose history dates back centuries.
But there is good news - of the 5,574 Grade I and II* listed
building in the South East, two in Kent are coming off the
register.
These are:
* The Montreal Park Obelisk, Riverhead
* The bar at Westenhanger Castle, Westenhanger.
Dr Andy Brown, English Heritage regional director in the South
East, said: "Tackling the most vulnerable of historic assets is
always challenging and becomes even more so in a recession.
"At some sites, even though plans have been agreed, work will
not start until the economy recovers.
"Elsewhere, improvement or repair works have only been partially
completed when contractors have gone into receivership and projects
have stalled."
Two examples of this are Swaylands, a Grade II registered park
and garden and the Smithery at Chatham Dockyard, which have both
suffered delays. Now they are on track and nearing completion.
The new annual list was announced at Hadlow Tower, the Grade I
listed remains of 19th century Hadlow Castle - the tallest
surviving Gothic revival folly in England.
The register identifies the area's most important Grade I and
II* listed buildings, monuments, parks and gardens, battlefields,
wreck sites and conservation areas.
Kent's 'at risk' sites
Ashford
Remains of Archbishops Palace, Charing
Runs of Church of St Mary, Little Chart
Wye Undercroft, Wye with Hinxhill
Castle Toll Saxon burgh and medieval fort, Newenden
Canterbury
Greyfriars Monastery
Monuments in the precinct of Canterbury Cathedra
Horton Manor Chapel, Chartham
Barn at Hardres Court, Upper Hardres
Bowl barrow, Adisham
Enclosures west of Woodlands, Adisham
Dartford
Roman enclosure south east of Vagniacae, Southfleet
Springhead Roman site, Southfleet
Dartford town centre
Dover
The Western Heights fortifications, Castle Hill, Dover
Fort Burgoyne, Connaught Barracks, Guston
St Radegunds Abbey, Hougham Without
The Belvedere, Shepherdswell with Coldred
Great Mongeham Anglo-Saxon cemetery, Great Mongeham
Ring ditch east of Parsonage Farm, Preston
Four ring ditches at Sutton Hill, Sutton
Romano-Celtic temple and Iron Age site south of Worth
Gravesham
The Dairy, Cobham Hall, Cobham
Maidstone
Boxley Abbey Barn, Boxley
St Andrews Chapel, Boxley Abbey
Dovecotes at Leeds Priory, Leeds
Slype and remains at Leeds Priory
11 Lower Stone Street, Maidstone
Ruined gatway, College of All Saints, Maidstone
The Dungeons at the Archbishop's Palace, Maidstone
Mote House, Mote Park, Maidstone
Leeds Priory
Binbury motte and bailey Castle, Thurnham
Boxley Abbey
Elmstone Hole, Grafty Green
Sevenoaks
Chapel, Maplescombe, West Kingsdown
Combe Bank, Sundridge with Ide Hill
Swaylands, Penshurst
Brasted High Street
Chiddingstone
Edenbridge
Halstead
Kippington and Oakhill road, Sevenoaks
Otford
Riverhead
Seal
Sevenoaks High Street
Shoreham High Street
South Darenth
Sundridge
The Vine, Sevenoaks
Vine Court, Sevenoaks
Shepway
Martello Towers numbers 4,5,6,7 and 9 in Folkestone and
Hythe
Romano-British building south of Burch's Rough, Lympne
Motte and Bailey Castle, Stowting
Bowl barrow 150m north east of Red House Farm, Swingfield
Bowl barrow at Minnis Beeches, Swingfield
Dungeness
Lydd
Sandgate High Street
Swale
Ruins of Shurland Hall, Eastchurch
Medieval Stables at Abbey Farm, Abbey Fields
Provender, Norton
Former Medway Ports Authority offices, Sheerness Docks
Coach Houses, Naval Terrace, Sheerness Docks
1-15 Regency Close, Sheerness Docks
Former Royal Dockyard Church, Sheerness Dockyard
The Boat Store, Sheerness Dockyard
Former working mast house, Sheerness Dockyard
Murston Old Church, Sittingbourne
51 High Street, Sittingbourne
Sheerness Defences, Swale
Thanet
The Shell Grotto, Margate
Dreamland Cinema, Margate
Barn about 50m east of Ozengell Grange, Ramsgate
Ring ditches at closures east of College Farm, Acol
Ring ditches north west of Great Brooks End Farm,
Birchington
Anglo-Saxon cemetery, Dane Valley Road, Broadstairs and St
Peters
Double ring ditch near Danes Court, Broadstairs and St
Peters
Anglo-Saxon south of Ozengell Grange, Margate and Ramsgate
Quex Park settlements, Margate and Ramsgate
Settlement one mil east of Margate and Ramsgate
Enclosure near Minster Laundry, Minster
Tonbridge and Malling
Hadlow tower, High Street, Hadlow
Romano-British villa, Anglo-Saxon cemetery and remains,
Eccles
Chapel of St Blaise, Offham
Town banks, Tonbridge
Tunbridge Wells
Providence Chapel, Cranbrook
High Rocks Camp, Tunbridge Wells
Somerhill, Capel
Bayham Abbey, Frant
Tunbridge Wells
Off Kent
The London, Thames Estuary
The Northumberland, Goodwin Sands
The Restoration, Goodwin Sands
Rooswijk, Goodwin Sands
Stirling Castle, Goodwin Sands
Medway
The Chapel of St Bartholomew, Chatham
Cliffe Fort, Cliffe
Cooling Castle, Cooling
Barn south east of the manor, Upnor Road, Frindsbury Extra
Brompton Lines, Gillingham
Fort Darnet, Gillingham
No 8 machine shop, Chatham Dockyard
Cockham Wood Fort, Hoo St Werburgh
fort Hoo, Hoo St Werburgh
Artillery Tower, Isle of Grain
Brompton Lines, Fort Amherts, Rochester
351 High Street, Rochester
Priors Gate, The Precinct, Rochester