Historic Buildings & Places

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Historic Buildings & Places

Championing historic buildings and places of all ages and types. We have a particular interest in everyday heritage, hidden treasures and community favourites.

Historic Buildings & Places works to sustain, defend and promote all aspects of the built historic environment, for the benefit of all. We are one of the National Amenity Societies and are unique in defending buildings and places of all ages and all types. Historic Buildings & Places is the working name of the Ancient Monuments Society.

18/08/2026

There’s still time to join us for a fascinating afternoon exploring the literary and architectural history of Twickenham.

On Tuesday 25 August 2026, Historic Buildings & Places is visiting Alexander Pope’s Grotto and St Mary’s Church, offering a rare chance to experience two sites closely connected with one of England’s greatest literary figures.

Discover Pope’s extraordinary Grade II* listed grotto on a private guided tour, following its recent conservation and removal from Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register. We’ll then visit St Mary’s Church, where Pope is buried alongside memorials to his family and other notable figures.

🕚 Tuesday 25 August, 11am–2pm

From a remarkable subterranean retreat to a historic church, this is a unique opportunity to discover the places and stories behind Alexander Pope’s life in Twickenham.

Find out more and book your place:
https://hbap.org.uk/visit-to-popes-grotto-and-st-marys-church-twickenham/

17/08/2026

Casework Update: Gwesty’r Tŵr, Pwllheli 🏛️

We’re delighted to have supported a community project to restore Pwllheli’s Grade II-listed Gwesty’r Tŵr (Tower Hotel) as a community facility.

Built around 1875 in an Italianate classical style, this landmark High Street building has been at the heart of the town for generations. Following its closure in 2019, the community came together to establish Menter y Tŵr, a community benefit society which acquired the freehold in 2023 and completed emergency repairs to the hotel façade.

With support from funding, the Society is now planning a phased re-opening. HB&P has welcomed proposals to transform the former stables into makerspaces, workshops and affordable workspaces, alongside a bunkhouse in the former grooms’ rooms.

We look forward to seeing this exciting community-led scheme come to fruition.

📷: © David Medcalf (cc-by-sa/2.0)

13/08/2026

New event: Discover over 1,000 years of Lincoln's heritage

Join Historic Buildings & Places on Thursday 17 September 2026 for an exclusive guided tour exploring some of Lincoln's most significant historic buildings and places.

Participants can choose between a full-day or afternoon-only programme, with visits to:
• Lincoln Cathedral
• Lincoln Medieval Bishops' Palace
• The Wonky House
• Steep Hill
• Greyfriars

The day brings together experts from Nick Cox Architects, English Heritage and Heritage Lincolnshire to share the conservation challenges, architectural significance and ongoing restoration of these remarkable sites.

A particular highlight is the opportunity to visit Greyfriars while major conservation work is underway, offering a behind-the-scenes insight into the restoration of one of England's oldest surviving Franciscan friaries.

Whether you're a heritage professional, volunteer or simply passionate about historic places, this promises to be a fascinating day in one of England's finest historic cities.

Find out more and book your place:
https://hbap.org.uk/a-day-exploring-historic-lincoln/

12/08/2026

Last week we had the pleasure of exploring one of Britain's most iconic landmarks with an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of Blackpool Tower.

Kindly led by Carl Carrington, Head of Planning & Conservation at Blackpool Council, the tour offered our members and supporters a fascinating insight into the history, architecture and engineering of this extraordinary Grade I listed building. From the spectacular Ballroom and Circus to the Tower Top, the visit revealed the craftsmanship, innovation and stories behind a landmark that has defined Blackpool's skyline for more than 130 years.

Our sincere thanks to Carl Carrington for sharing his expertise and enthusiasm, and to Blackpool Council for making this memorable visit possible.

10/08/2026

Llandudno, the Queen of North Welsh resorts, was built around the idea that holidaymakers should enjoy both the beach and the church. While several of its historic places of worship have found new secular uses, Holy Trinity Church remains an active place of worship.

Built in 1865 to the designs of George Felton, Holy Trinity is a fine example of the Gothic Revival, with granite monolithic columns, richly carved capitals featuring buds, leaves and flowers, and beautifully detailed Decorated-style architecture.

We recently commented on proposals to remove the pews from the north and south aisles while retaining those in the nave. We are generally supportive of this approach, as it allows greater flexibility for community use while preserving the church's principal views.

In this case, the evidence was particularly compelling. The aisle pews are not original but were brought from the former St Paul's Church, Crewe. Historic photographs also suggest that Holy Trinity originally used raffia-backed chairs for several decades before pews were introduced.

06/08/2026

Step into the world of one of England's greatest literary figures with Historic Buildings & Places.

Join us on Tuesday 25 August 2026 (11am to 2pm) for an exclusive guided visit to Alexander Pope's Grotto and St Mary's Church, Twickenham.

This special event offers a rare opportunity to explore two remarkable sites connected to Alexander Pope in a single afternoon. Enjoy a private guided tour of Pope's beautifully decorated Grade II* listed grotto, recently removed from Historic England's Heritage at Risk Register following conservation, before visiting St Mary's Church, where Pope is buried alongside memorials to his family and other notable historical figures.

From an extraordinary subterranean retreat to a church steeped in centuries of history, discover the places that shaped the life and legacy of one of Britain's most celebrated writers.

https://hbap.org.uk/visit-to-popes-grotto-and-st-marys-church-twickenham/

04/08/2026

The recent hot weather has left the lawns surrounding Salisbury Cathedral and Choristers' Square looking noticeably parched.

These striking photographs, taken by our Casework Manager, Ross, show Salisbury Cathedral and Choristers' Square, home to an outstanding collection of Grade I and Grade II* listed buildings.

Among them are Wren Hall, rebuilt in 1714 over medieval cellars, and Mompesson House, dating from 1704 and renowned for its fine interiors and enriched plaster ceilings.

These remarkable places remind us that our historic environment is continually shaped by both time and the changing world around it.

03/08/2026

⏰ Last chance to book: our online talk is tomorrow, Tuesday 4 August at 6pm.

What can an old farmhouse reveal about centuries of social change?

Across Weardale, traditional buildings hold the stories of the people who lived and worked in them—from miner-farmers and working families to the landed gentry. These buildings are more than picturesque backdrops; they're a record of how communities adapted, worked, and endured through changing times.

Join us tomorrow evening for a talk with conservation architect Martin Roberts of the North East Vernacular Architecture Group, as he explores the vernacular architecture of the dale and what it tells us about local history and heritage.

🎟️ Free for Historic Buildings & Places members, £4 for non-members. Everyone who registers receives a recording, so you won't miss out even if you can't attend live.

Book your place here: https://hbap.org.uk/online-talk-buildings-in-an-upland-landscape-the-vernacular-houses-of-weardale/

We'd love to know: which type of historic building do you find most fascinating, and why? Share your thoughts in the comments.

01/08/2026

The former Merthyr Tydfil Synagogue is a remarkable part of Wales' built heritage.

Completed in 1877, the Gothic Revival synagogue was built for Merthyr Tydfil's Jewish community during the town's industrial heyday. Today, it is the only surviving purpose-built Victorian synagogue in Wales, making it a significant part of the nation's architectural and cultural heritage.

Earlier this year, we were delighted to welcome the Welsh Jewish Cultural Centre for an online talk exploring the restoration of the synagogue and the vision for its future.

If you missed it, you can still watch the recording here: https://hbap.org.uk/online-talk-restoring-merthyr-tydfils-unique-victorian-synagogue-preserving-the-jewish-heritage-of-wales/

📷: Chris Andrews, CC BY-SA 2.0

31/07/2026

Casework Update: This is the second time HB&P has had to fight to save a group of locally historic (but unlisted) buildings at the former Greencore factory in Evercreech, Somerset. 🧀🏚️

The oldest building dates from around 1770, when Evercreech was a small agricultural hamlet and these buildings formed part of a dairy farm. Converted into a creamery in 1891, with more added through to the 1920s as production grew.

Their largely intact rubble-stone, gable-ended design is an important part of the character of the Evercreech Conservation Area 📸 (see photo). Despite C20 alterations as the factory expanded, they're still clearly recognisable as simple, stone-built vernacular farm/industrial buildings — and a record of how farming diversified into large-scale food production.

Chilled dessert production stopped in 2017. This is now the SECOND residential redevelopment scheme — the first was dismissed at appeal, largely due to the unjustified harm to and loss of these locally significant buildings.

This new scheme claims it's not viable to reuse these simple, single-storey structures — pointing to uPVC windows and sheet-metal roofing as reasons to write off their significance.

But just look at the award-winning restoration of the Creamery buildings next to Castle Cary station 🏆 — proof of what's possible with a bit of creativity and pride of place. Sadly, that's missing here.

📷: Google Street View

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E16DY

Telephone

+442072363934

Website

http://hbap.org.uk/

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