Historic England at Risk Register 2024: Birmingham building once a target of the suffragettes added to list

The Register gives an annual snapshot of the health of England’s valued historic buildings and places.

It helps to ensure they can be protected and continue to be enjoyed in the future.

King’s Norton Old Grammar School, once a target for the suffragettes, has been added to the list in 2024. There’s already 20 Birmingham buildings on the at risk list, with the latest addition taking it up to 21.

Here are the 20 Birmingham buildings at risk of being lost already on the list, read more here. Keep reading here for more on the Old Grammar School.

This year alone, 124 sites have been rescued and their futures secured.

Many buildings and sites have been rescued with the help and commitment of local people, communities, charities, owners and funders including The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

There are also more buildings and places which need help. Over the past year, 155 historic buildings and sites have been added to the Register because they are at risk of neglect, decay or inappropriate development.

Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Historic England, said: “Sites added to the Heritage at Risk Register 2024 include: King’s Norton Old Grammar School in the West Midlands, once a target for the suffragettes; Southchurch Hall in the East of England, a medieval moated house at the heart of community life and Hurst Castle, a Tudor fortress by the sea in Hampshire.”

Sites saved and removed from the Heritage at Risk Register 2024 include: one of London's "Magnificent Seven" Victorian garden cemeteries; two of Exmoor’s spectacular Iron Age hillforts and the striking 1930s Saltdean Lido in East Sussex

Ecton Copper Mine in Staffordshire was saved, which was once the deepest mining site in the country.

In total, there are 399 entries on the Heritage at Risk Register in the West Midlands in 2024, which is one more than in 2023.

Grade I- listed Tamworth Castle in Staffordshire has also been added to the list.

Old Grammar School, St Nicholas' Place, King’s Norton, B38 8RU

With parts dating from the early 15th century, the half-timbered building was probably built as a priest’s house, before being remodelled in the 17th century and put into use as a school.

Historic England told of when Emmeline Pankhurst was on trial at the Old Bailey in 1913, her supporters around the country unleashed a wave of arson against public buildings.

The building, while empty, was the target of an unusual attack by suffragettes. The Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU), formed by Emmeline Pankhurst in 1903, used militant methods including attacks on property its campaign to get the vote.

This extended to arson, but as the target was property rather than people suffragettes only attacked empty buildings. In April 1913 two windows were forced open but no fire was set.

A message on the blackboard read ‘Two Suffragists have entered here, but charmed with this old-world room, have refrained from their design of destruction.’

Historic England has provided a grant to repair the building and make it watertight, with the hope that the building will be used as part of a heritage building skills learning centre.

Grade I-listed Tamworth Castle

Grade I listed Tamworth Castle has also been added to the list for 2024. Described as one of England’s finest motte-and-bailey castles, Historic England said it is in need of attention. The castle has a history of structural movement and extensive repairs are needed.

Step back in time through 900 years of history in Tamworth Castle. Visitors can wander the chambers and hallways of this unique building and get a real sense of how the Saxons, Normans, Tudors and Victorians spent their time in the castle.

For more visit historicengland.org.uk/whats-new/news/heritage-at-risk-2024/