London Zoo’s aviary and an iconic Canada church right by Bank station have been added to the at risk buildings register
An iconic Canada church and London Zoo's aviary are among the buildings added to the "Heritage At Risk" register by Historic England.
The organisation said settlement in the tower of the Church of St Mary Woolnoth, right next to the Lombard Street exit of Bank Station, has caused cracks, while parts of the roof need repairing to keep it water-tight.
The church, one of six in London designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor, was constructed between 1716 and 1727 in the aftermath of the Great Fire of London, and was the church where anti-slavery campaigner William Wilberforce worshipped. It was even immortalised in TS Eliot's poem The Wasteland.
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Cracks have appeared in the church's tower (Source: Flickr)
It wasn't the only London building added to the list, though – ZSL London Zoo's aviary, the world's first walk-through aviary and the second biggest in the world, is in need of repair, Heritage England said.
However, its inclusion in the list should be a short-term thing – London Zoo has secured Heritage Lottery funding for its repair, and is planning to turn it into a "new innovative space" for both animals and visitors.
Among the other buildings included in the list this year were Newington Green Unitarian Church in Islington, which once counted "mother of feminism" Mary Wollstonecraft among its congregation, and a shipwreck off the coast of Wunwich in Suffolk, which is believed to be the remains of a 16th century armed merchant vessel. A bronze gun was stolen from the site this year, according to Heritage England.
“Some extraordinary chapters in England’s history are represented on this year’s list of our most important heritage at risk," said Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Historic England.
"Owners and developers are now facing a larger gap between the cost of repairs and the end value of their property. Reasons include skill shortages in key professions and trades in our sector, and in some cases, even the supply of scaffolding."
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Buildings at risk
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… and the ones that aren't
Historic England removed some buildings from its at-risk register:
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