The UK is full of beautiful old buildings, but we don’t take good care of all of them. For every pristinely restored, carefully and lovingly maintained structure is another facing serious threats ranging from property developers to neglect.
It’s that latter kind of place that is highlighted by the Victorian Society in its annual ‘top 10 endangered buildings’ list. The Victorian Society is a charity dedicated to preserving and promoting interest in Victorian and Edwardian buildings in England and Wales, and every year it publishes a list of structures facing neglect, disuse, disrepair and threats from developers.
Today (May 22) the Victorian Society has unveiled the 2025 edition of its endangered buildings list. It was launched by the charity’s president Griff Rhys Jones, who said that the structures ‘demonstrate the range of imagination and commitment that Victorian and Edwardian architects, builders and designers brought to their work’.
He added: ‘Some are the fantasies of rich men, some the pious hopes of spiritual people, some monuments to the demotic gaiety of newly prosperous times for ordinary working people.
‘All are monuments to their makers. All have glorious qualities, character and important past stories to tell and all are in a sad state of neglect.’
The aim of the Victorian Society’s endangered list is to put these buildings in the spotlight, thereby aiding efforts to preserve and restore them. So, what’s on the list this year? Here’s the lowdown.
Bosworth Park Water Tower, Market Bosworth, Leicestershire (Grade II, 1885)
What is it? A ‘striking and delightful’ water tower built to serve the Bosworth Hall estate, which is now a Britannia hotel.
Why is it endangered? According to the Victorian Society, the tower and its walled garden are suffering from ‘years of disuse’, while the theft of lead flashings has caused the deterioration of lean-to structures.
Torquay Pavilion, Devon (Grade II, 1911)
What is it? An art nouveau ‘national treasure’ that was once at the centre of Torquay’s cultural life – and was a favourite of Agatha Christie.
Why is it endangered? The pavilion’s steel girders are ‘heavily corroded’ from salt exposure, and there’s internal damage too. A major restoration was agreed back in 2023, and contractors will begin works in 2025.
Birley Spa, Hackenthorpe, Sheffield (Grade II, 1842-3)
What is it? Birley Spa is ‘the last remaining Victorian bath house in South Yorkshire still set within its original grounds’, and community group The Birley Spa Friends wants to reopen it to the public.
Why is it endangered? Previous alterations to the roof and windows are deteriorating, and it needs restoring.
33-39 St James Street, King’s Lynn, Norfolk (Grade II, 1908)
What is it? VS describes this structure – built as offices, a showroom and a warehouse – as ‘an extraordinary early example of modernist design and concrete construction’.
Why is it endangered? Currently leased by Kwik Fit, the upper floors are inaccessible (and have been for 15-20 years) while much of the rest faces disuse and deterioration.
Former Marine Hotel, Penarth, Glamorgan (Grade II, 1865)
What is it? A landmark hotel built to serve dock workers and tourists in Penarth.
Why is it endangered? The Marine Hotel has sat empty since the 1980s, and now it’s on the market for £2.25 million.
Former Methodist Central Hall, Corporation St, Birmingham (Grade II*, 1900-1903)
What is it? A ‘purpose-built community powerhouse’ fashioned out of red brick and terracotta, this building was initially a Methodist hall, then it became music venue The Que Club.
Why is it endangered? The venue closed in 2017, and now is back on the market.
Gibson Street Baths, Newcastle-upon-Tyne (Grade II, 1906-07)
What is it? The fourth free public baths to be built in Newcastle and one of three pre-1914 swimming baths still standing in Tyne-and-Wear.
Why is it endangered? The baths are empty and the building ‘visibly deteriorates’, with the Victorian Society recommending that Newcastle City Council finds a new use for the structure and collaborates with the local community.
Aldermaston Court, Aldermaston, Berkshire (Grade II*, 1848-51, 1894)
What is it? A ‘rambling and romantic’ Victorian house commissioned by ‘eccentric’ figure Daniel Higford Davall Burr, and which later became a site for nuclear research. After being turned into a school, then a hotel, it’s been abandoned since 2012.
Why is it endangered? Out of use for over a decade, Aldermaston Court has been on the market for years.
Edgerton Cemetery Chapel, Huddersfield (Grade II, 1853-1855)
What is it? A chapel with a ‘soaring arch and spire still visible above the trees’ in a Huddersfield cemetary.
Why is it endangered? The roof has collapsed and the chapel has been victim to arson attacks, leaving it a ‘tragic ruin’.
Gwalia, West Derby, Liverpool (Grade II, 1854)
What is it? Also known as Sandfield Tower, Gwalia was once a grand suburban villa.
Why is it endangered? Campaigner Jonathan Wild has been drawing attention to the buildings worsening condition, and VS describes it as a ‘crumbling folly’. The charity has called on Liverpool City Council to purchase Sandfield Tower and restore it.
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