Historic England’s Heritage at Risk register is always a stark reminder of the fragility of our most cherished historic places, from crumbling listed buildings to ancient burial mounds at risk from developments ((William Blake cottage at risk of being lost, says Historic England, 4 November). These sites are intrinsically linked to our sense of collective identity, locally and nationally, and if we let them go, we lose our roots in a place. Post-Covid, there’s also a thirst for knowledge and yearning to explore the places we live more than ever.
To guarantee the survival of precious heritage sites, such as Blake’s cottage in West Sussex, it’s not just about money being spent on buildings to protect and preserve. Rather than putting them in aspic as museum pieces for tourists, we must enable communities to engage with heritage sites in ways that protect their own needs. We have to find new ways to open up these spaces, so they remain relevant and serve a purpose. Churches have had this problem for decades, with dwindling congregations. When a community is able to engage with these spaces, the whole economy and upkeep of a building improves as a result. In treasuring the past, we must not forget about the present and the future.
Andrew Edwards
Sussex Archaeological Society
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