Europe’s only pre-First World War airship hangar and a 19th Century colliery have been named among Britain’s most endangered buildings.

English Heritage’s Buildings at Risk Register have also named a further 50 new entries of buildings considered most under threat.

It is estimated about £400 million is required to repair the total 1,235 building on the register.

The aircraft hangar at RAF Cardington near Bedford, is said to be the only one built before the end of World War I, and is made from cast iron and corrugated iron. It requires £5m of restoration work.


Chatterley Whitfield Colliery in Stoke-On-Trent includes 15 scheduled structures and five listed buildings and it requires £25m.

Chief Executive of the organisation, Simon Thurley, said: “We call on the government, and especially the new Secretary of State, to work with us to convince public funding bodies of the value of the nation’s heritage and that buildings like the ones we have identified today deserve a second chance.

“English Heritage has been monitoring many of these buildings for many years and, if you look at some of the buildings we’re highlighting today, you will see that even four or five years ago much more of these buildings were still standing.

“They are literally falling apart before our eyes.”

Other buildings included on the list are Ditherington Flax Mill and it’s attached malt kiln, in Shropshire which requires around £5m of work, and Liverpool’s Royal Insurance Building which needs £3m refurbishments.

(JM/SP)