Historic sites 'at risk from funding cuts'

Some of Britain's most famous historic sites are at risk as the number being saved for the nation declines amid budget cuts, according to a report published today.

The Tory party accused the Government of "betraying" the country's heritage after it emerged that only 57 threatened sites were renovated in the past year, while 69 were added to the "at risk" register. It is the first time since the list was drawn up nine years ago that the drive has gone into reverse.

The sites in jeopardy include Hadrian's Wall, built by the Romans and the most popular tourist attraction in northern England; the Frogmore Estate near Windsor Castle, the resting place of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert; the site of the 1066 Battle of Stamford Bridge in Yorkshire; and Newstead Abbey in Nottinghamshire, the ancestral home of the poet Lord Byron.

In total there are 30,600 listed buildings, 19,600 archaeological sites, 1,590 parks and gardens, 43 battlefields and 45 wrecks on the register. Yet English Heritage has cut the value of its "at risk" grants from £8m to £4.1m since 1999. "With more and more of our wonderful heritage under threat, the Government must act before some of our best loved sites are left to rot," said Jeremy Hunt, the shadow Culture Secretary.

He condemned Labour for siphoning off funds raised by the National Lottery to public services and the 2012 Olympics, saying that returning £40m a year to the heritage budget would generate millions and "help restore some of these wonderful sites to their full glory".

The Tories claimed public funding for Britain's heritage has fallen by 38 per cent since Labour came to power in 1997. They said the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) had cut the number of officials working on heritage matters by almost a quarter and reduced the share of its budget going to heritage from one-sixth to one-tenth. "Britain's heritage should be a source of enormous pride. It is the jewel in our cultural crown, " said the report. "Unfortunately, under Labour the jewel has been left unpolished."

A DCMS spokesman said: "It is impossible to infer a trend from one year's figures alone. The slight increase this year is not typical, and in fact the trend is downwards. It is important to note that the longer a site has been on the register, the more difficult it is to get off it, as all the 'easy' ones have been addressed."

Despite last year's setback, English Heritage said it still hopes to reach its target of seeing 50 per cent of the sites on the 1999 register removed by the 2009 register.

SOS Heritage sites at risk

*Castle Howard Mausoleum, Ryedale, North Yorkshire, above

Built by Hawksmoor between 1729 and 1742. The columns were repaired with a grant in the 1980s, but much of it continues to decay.

*The Aviary, Dropmore House, Buckinghamshire

The early 19th-century aviary has been neglected and vandalised for years. The estate is now owned by a developer and work is under way to convert the main house into apartments. The aviary should be fixed, as it was a condition of the original planning permission.

*Sandfoot castle, Weymouth

One of a pair built by Henry VIII to protect the Portland Anchorage. It is built on soft clays and suffers from erosion and instability.

*Haggerston Baths, Hackney, east London

Built in 1904, it suffers from extensive structural problems and closed in 2000. Huge repair costs and lack of funding has hampered repairs.