Heritage At Risk Register
York Citizens’ Heritage at Risk Register is entirely community-nominated and coordinated by York Civic Trust, a local amenity society. As such, it makes the city’s public-led ‘heritage at risk’ list a first in England.
The register is the result of a public appeal following the collapse of an important piece of local heritage in Holgate on 4th April 2023, when the roof of the Canteen Building of the former Carriage Works gave way and crashed through its end gable.
We want you to tell us about similar local heritage at risk from neglect, vandalism, or destruction.
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For 80 years, York Civic Trust has championed the heritage that makes this city extraordinary. We are a membership charity dedicated to protecting York’s historic places.
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Why we’re asking
The appeal comes following the collapse of an important piece of local heritage in Holgate, when the roof of the Canteen Building of the former Carriage Works gave way and crashed through its end gable.
The Canteen Building was built in 1888 and had interesting architectural detailing, including oriel windows at either end. It was the last remaining social building of the Carriage Works complex. There will be lots of people in York who remember using it, but after nearly 150 years this piece of the city’s railway engineering heritage is now gone.
The collapsed Canteen Building, York’s former Carriage Works. IMAGE: York Civic Trust.
By working with members of the public and heritage groups in the city to identify and suggest other York heritage at risk, this can help prevent a similar fate as the Canteen Building. Along the way, it can also raise the profile of some of the city’s forgotten buildings and other structures.
The Canteen Building wasn’t Listed, but it was on York’s Local Heritage List. In under 20 years, York has lost nearly 1 in 12 of the structures on its Local Heritage List.
What we’re looking for
We’re asking you to think of heritage in broad ways.
- It can include anything, such as buildings, bridges, historic views, or street furniture…
- It might be a Listed building standing empty or local non-listed heritage.
- It can be from any period, including the twentieth century.
Basically, if it looks old, in a bad way, or has stood empty for years, has signs of roof tiles missing and water getting in, or has been vandalised – then we want to hear about it!
Eerie in its emptiness… Looking up at the skylight in the hall of the former Bootham Park Hospital’s main building in 2013. IMAGE: Bob Adams.
As way of a few examples…
The blue pedestrian cable bridge on Foss Islands Road is also on the Local Heritage List and not nationally Listed. It is currently locked and has stood unused since the demolition of the associated power station and cooling tower in 1977. Today it is rusting with paint peeling away and its future uncertain.
In contrast in scale and grandeur, the Grade I listed Bootham Park Hospital buildings were to be converted into retirement accommodation until this March, when the developer walked away as the scheme is no longer economically viable. The future of this expansive site is now unknown. Until a new use can be found, such a large complex of buildings is potentially at risk of vandalism or worse.
Bootham Park in happier times… A children’s fete held at Bootham Park on June 22, 1897 to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. IMAGE: Explore York Libraries and Archives.
But heritage at risk can also be low key, incidental and right under our noses and yet goes unrecognised. York has some amazing backstreet lanes, complete with silvery-blue hexagonal or square scoria bricks, and of a type that is near unique to the city. In recent years some of these have have been covered over or replaced by tarmac.
What we’re looking to do with the list
The heritage at risk identified by you will assist us in compiling an ‘At Risk’ register for York. Where it is appropriate, it can then inform national heritage bodies with the potential for funding to save York’s vital local heritage.
York is currently as almost entirely missing on the buildings and heritage at risk lists held by national heritage organisations, such as Historic England, SAVE Britain’s Heritage, and The C20 Society. Either York has no heritage at risk, which seems unlikely given the collapse of the Carriage Work’s Canteen Building, or our local heritage at risk is currently not getting due recognition.
Being entirely community-nominated and coordinated by a local amenity society, this appeal to help make a ‘heritage at risk’ list for the city is understood to be a first in England.
How to contribute
To be ‘the eyes of the city’ and suggest heritage at risk in York, contact us by email on info@yorkcivictrust.co.uk, on social media.