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From gothic churches to Victorian police stations to former public baths, there are really old buildings all over the capital city. It’s taken a lot of time, money and care to ensure that they’ve survived the centuries, and it’s going to take even more to ensure that they stay standing for future generations. That’s where Historic England comes in.
Every year, Historic England identifies landmarks across London and the rest of the country that are most at risk of disappearing of they’re not taken care of properly. Last year, 26 London buildings were flagged as being in danger and the year before 10 were identified. For 2025, things are looking up – of the 138 new additions to the list, just one is here in the capital.
The only London landmark added to the register this year was the beloved Hill Garden Pergola on Hampstead Heath. The Grade II-listed structure, hidden away on the northwest side of the heath, was constructed in 1906 as part of a private Edwardian estate and now, Historic England says, it’s ‘starting to show its age’.
Originally built as a setting for Lord Leverhulme’s extravagant parties, the pergola and its gardens opened up to the public in 1963 and has been managed by the City of London Corporation since 1989. Since then, it’s gone through several repairs and restorations but parts of it are now deteriorating due to age and weathering. It’s hope that its new status as an at risk building will help secure external grant funding and charitable donations for urgent and future repairs.
Historic England said: ‘An overarching conservation strategy is being developed with support from specialist advisers and contractors, including Historic England and Camden Council. This includes a robust conservation management plan to guide the Pergola’s long-term care and maintenance, so this special place lives on for future generations to enjoy.’
Gregory Jones, chair of the City Corporation’s Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood and Queen’s Park committee, said: ‘This status will help us seek to unlock access to vital funding and expert support, strengthening the case for external grants and charitable donations.
‘With safety, sustainability, and public enjoyment at the heart of its care, this recognition marks a turning point — not of decline, but of renewed investment in one of Hampstead Heath’s most treasured landmarks.’
In more hopeful news, there were also 129 places that were removed from the risk list for ‘positive reason’. That brings the total number of at risk places across England in 2025 to 4,891. In London, the buildings that have been rescued in the past year are the Edwardian public toilets near Bruce Grove station in Tottenham, which have now been restored and reopened with a café, community space and new public toilets, and a Grade-II listed former weavers’ cottage in Shoreditch, which has been transformed into a retail outlet.
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