Ancient churches, windmills, a medieval priory, a historic Derby pottery site and even part of Buxton have joined Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register for 2026. And, frankly, some of the assessments make for pretty grim reading.
The East Midlands isn’t exactly short of old stuff.
Castles? Loads. Medieval churches? Take your pick. Mills, mines, stately homes and slightly mysterious ruins sitting at the end of country lanes? Absolutely.
Unfortunately, keeping all that history standing is another matter.
Historic England has published its 2026 Heritage at Risk data, its annual snapshot of the historic places considered most vulnerable to neglect, decay or inappropriate development. And this year’s additions include 29 separate places in the East Midlands, generating 30 new entries on the register.
They stretch from Buxton to Lincoln and from Sutton in Ashfield to Irthlingborough.
And some need rather more than a fresh lick of paint.
Derbyshire has taken quite a hit
Derbyshire accounts for nine of the distinct places appearing among the new additions.
Perhaps the biggest surprise isn’t a building at all.
Buxton Fairfield has been added as an entire conservation area. Its condition is rated poor, its vulnerability high and, most worryingly, its condition is described as“deteriorating significantly”. The priority assessment says no action or strategy has been identified or agreed.
Then there’s Brightside lead mine near Hassop, which appears twice because different elements have been assessed separately. One assessment describes conditions as generally unsatisfactory with major localised problems; the other rates them very bad. Both are declining.
Old Millclose Engine House at South Darley also joins the list, while several Derbyshire churches are raising red flags.
Church of St Laurence at Walton upon Trent, Church of St Mary at Weston upon Trent and Church of St John the Evangelist in Derby are all rated in very bad condition, with high vulnerability and declining trends.
Also newly added are Church of St John the Baptist in Tideswell, Church of St Peter at Hartshorne and the Grade II* Banqueting house at Barlborough Hall.
Leicestershire has the longest list
It’s Leicestershire, though, that has the most new locations.
Twelve distinct places in the county appear among the additions, and churches dominate.
The newcomers include Church of St Michael at Twyford and Thorpe, Church of St Mary at Osgathorpe, Church of All Saints at Thurlaston, Church of St Peter at Higham on the Hill, Church of St Andrew in Leicester and churches at Lowesby, Kilby and Witherley.
Several have been rated very bad and highly vulnerable, including those at Higham on the Hill, Lowesby, Kilby and Witherley.
But it isn’t exclusively churches.
The rather lovely Grade I Sir John Moore Church of England School at Appleby Magna has joined the register, although its condition is rated fair rather than poor or very bad. Its trend is nevertheless declining.
There’s also 5 King Street in Melton Mowbray, which is in very bad condition with high vulnerability, plus two entries connected with Ravenstone Hospital: the hospital and wash house, and its separate chapel.
Lincolnshire has windmills, a priory and one of Lincoln’s landmarks
The five new Lincolnshire sites are an eclectic bunch.
Most alarming may be Haverholme Priory, near Sleaford. The scheduled monument is rated very bad, highly vulnerable and declining, with an immediate risk of further rapid deterioration or loss of fabric and no solution agreed.
Two rather magnificent bits of Lincolnshire milling heritage are in trouble too.
Grade I Heckington Windmill and Grade I Moulton Windmill have both been added, with each rated poor and highly vulnerable. Heckington Windmill is placed in the most urgent category, with an immediate risk of further rapid deterioration or loss of fabric and no solution agreed.
In Lincoln itself, the Grade I Stonebow and Guildhall is a new addition. It is rated poor, highly vulnerable and declining.
The city’s Grade II* Ellis’s Mill has also joined the register. It too is poor, highly vulnerable and declining, with an immediate risk of further deterioration or loss of historic fabric.
Nottinghamshire gets one new addition
Nottinghamshire fares considerably better numerically, with just one new place in the 2026 additions data.
The Grade I Church of St Katharine in Sutton in Ashfield is rated in poor condition with medium vulnerability and a declining trend.
There is at least some positive news here. Its priority classification says a solution has been agreed, although it hasn’t yet been implemented.
That means familiar Nottingham sites already on the wider register shouldn’t be confused with this year’s additions. Places such as Newstead Abbey remain on the main register but are not new additions for 2026.
So what does ‘at risk’ actually mean?
Importantly, being on the Heritage at Risk Register doesn’t necessarily mean somewhere is about to collapse.
Historic England’s programme covers buildings and structures, places of worship, archaeology, registered parks and gardens, battlefields, protected wrecks and conservation areas. Its purpose is to provide an annual picture of the places most vulnerable to being lost through neglect, decay or inappropriate development and most in need of safeguarding.
Condition is only part of the equation. Assessments can also consider vulnerability, the direction in which a site’s condition is moving and whether a viable solution is already being pursued.
Which explains why something in “poor” condition might actually be in a less worrying position than somewhere described as “fair”.
The good news? The list isn’t necessarily permanent
It’s worth remembering that the register isn’t heritage’s equivalent of death row.
Historic England describes it as a dynamic picture, updated annually. Places can leave the register when their circumstances improve, and sites can subsequently return if they become vulnerable again.
But there is a fairly obvious takeaway from the 2026 additions.
The East Midlands’ heritage isn’t just its headline attractions.
It’s village churches, old mills, industrial remains, mines, bridges, schools, forgotten buildings and entire neighbourhoods.
And right now, 29 more of those places could do with a bit of help.
