Portland High Angle Battery removed from at risk register

Historic England has today announced its list of heritage sites at risk for this year.

The Heritage at Risk Register aims to give an annual insight to the health of England’s valued historic buildings and places.

A total of 31 sites in the South West were added to the register, whilst 31 sites in the region were removed.

Among those considered saved by the body, is the High Angle Battery on Portland, also known as the 'ghost tunnels' following large investments. 

Volunteers clearing out the Portland High Angle Battery (Image: Steve Wallis- Dorset Council) Built in the 1890s to defend Portland’s Harbour, it was positioned in such a way to be invisible to attack, boasting a complex location system to help gunners at the battery pinpoint their targets.

As reported, the extensive complex of buildings, tunnels, and gun emplacements was placed on the register in 2022 due to challenges it faced including erosion, vegetation, growth and reports of vandalism.

Following a grant of nearly £250,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the project; ‘Rediscovering High Angle Battery’ has enabled Dorset Council to manage vegetation in a wildlife friendly way, repair structures, and install new paths. Volunteers from EuCAN were also carrying out vegetation clearance.

According to Historic England, future plans for the site include new interpretation, events and the establishment of a Friends Group to maintain the site.

Volunteers helping clear weeds from the Portland High Angle Battery (Image: Steve Wallis- Dorset Council) Councillor Rob Hughes, a ward member for Portland on Dorset Council, and member of the Rediscovering High Angle Battery project team, said: “I’m thrilled to hear that efforts to restore this locally loved site are paying off and I would like to thank all the council officers, local organisations, volunteers, and residents who have helped bring this exciting project to life.

“From expressing their views on what should happen on the site, to providing information on its history and helping with scrub clearance, the community has been a driving force behind the project.

“Local people have always felt pride in High Angle Battery, and we hope this project will not only help improve understanding and appreciation of the site but also lead to even greater interest in the unique history and environment of Portland.” 

A spokesperson for Dorset Council, said: "The exciting improvements to the site are well underway, with a focus on celebrating its rich heritage, enhancing biodiversity, and improving access. This work is set to be completed by next summer and will feature comprehensive on-site interpretation, offering visitors a deeper understanding of the battery’s historical significance and its past uses.

"Once finished, the battery will become a valuable community asset, regularly hosting a variety of events, tours and school visits."

Also removed from this year’s register, is one of Dorset’s foremost country homes; Sherborne House, based around the Newland area of the market town.

In May 2024, the home celebrated its reopening as a community hub and ‘landmark destination for the arts’ The Sherborne.

The Sherborne Project (Image: Brett Charles Photography/SPASE)

The Georgian town house was built around 1720 for Henry Seymour Portman, replacing a late medieval manor house, parts of which survive as the west wing.

Between 1932 and 1992 the house was used as a school and was in a bad state of disrepair. The Sherborne House Trust acquired the building in 2018 and plans for its transformation into an arts venue, which was approved in 2021.