Hale Duck Decoy "AT RISK"
On Thursday 9th November 2018, Historic England published the 2018 Heritage at Risk Register, the annual snapshot of the health of England’s historic places. In the North West twenty four sites have been added, including Hale Duck Decoy.
Historic England is celebrating twenty years of the Heritage at Risk Register, Historic England’s tool for shining a light on the listed buildings and places in England that need most help. Looking back over the last twenty years, huge progress has been made in saving our heritage and giving it new uses – more than two thirds of entries on the original 1998 Register have been rescued, including fifteen in the city of Manchester alone. Many of the remaining third of entries have seen great progress despite being the hardest cases to solve.
Achieving this much in twenty years has depended upon sheer dogged determination by local communities, charities, owners and partners. Historic England’s technical and planning advice, grant aid and creative negotiation have all been needed to deliver people’s vision for how these places could be used.
A good year for saving archaeology
Nationally, this year our stand-out success has been that the number of archaeological entries going off the Register is almost twice that which have been added. Historic England has a really good understanding of the types of risks affecting rural archaeology in particular and farmers have benefitted from rural stewardship schemes in managing those places.
Highlighted from this year’s Register in the North West:
ADDED: Duck decoy pond, Hale, Halton, Cheshire
Hale Duck Decoy Pond is an artificial pool dating from the 17th century and something of a rare find, especially in the North of England (they were much more commonly found in lowland areas along the East and South East coast). Decoy ponds were used to lure, trap and kill for food and for feathers. Only a few examples remain and this surviving pentagonal pond, which retains many original features, has been added to the Register this year.
The decoy pond is believed to have originated in Holland and introduced into England in the 17th century. The word `decoy' is said to derive from the Dutch ‘eendenkooi’, meaning `duck cage'. They were popular in the 18th and 19th centuries when large numbers were built. A small number continued in use until the Second World War. Pipes often arranged in symmetrical patterns around a central pool.
Historic England is celebrating twenty years of the Heritage at Risk Register, Historic England’s tool for shining a light on the listed buildings and places in England that need most help. Looking back over the last twenty years, huge progress has been made in saving our heritage and giving it new uses – more than two thirds of entries on the original 1998 Register have been rescued, including fifteen in the city of Manchester alone. Many of the remaining third of entries have seen great progress despite being the hardest cases to solve.
Achieving this much in twenty years has depended upon sheer dogged determination by local communities, charities, owners and partners. Historic England’s technical and planning advice, grant aid and creative negotiation have all been needed to deliver people’s vision for how these places could be used.
A good year for saving archaeology
Nationally, this year our stand-out success has been that the number of archaeological entries going off the Register is almost twice that which have been added. Historic England has a really good understanding of the types of risks affecting rural archaeology in particular and farmers have benefitted from rural stewardship schemes in managing those places.
Highlighted from this year’s Register in the North West:
ADDED: Duck decoy pond, Hale, Halton, Cheshire
Hale Duck Decoy Pond is an artificial pool dating from the 17th century and something of a rare find, especially in the North of England (they were much more commonly found in lowland areas along the East and South East coast). Decoy ponds were used to lure, trap and kill for food and for feathers. Only a few examples remain and this surviving pentagonal pond, which retains many original features, has been added to the Register this year.
The decoy pond is believed to have originated in Holland and introduced into England in the 17th century. The word `decoy' is said to derive from the Dutch ‘eendenkooi’, meaning `duck cage'. They were popular in the 18th and 19th centuries when large numbers were built. A small number continued in use until the Second World War. Pipes often arranged in symmetrical patterns around a central pool.
- Across the region nineteen entries have been removed from the Register, while twenty four entries have been added because of concerns about their condition.
- Over the past year, Historic England has spent £994,743 in grants to help some of the region’s best loved and most important historic sites.
As a result of this announcement Rob Cockbain was interviewed, on site, by BBC Radio Merseyside. BBC News also added a feature on-line, which was headed:
'Neglected' duck decoy pond placed on Heritage at Risk list. (Click to read)
Whilst we agree that it is good that the site is on the AT RISK REGISTER we do take exception to the word NEGLECTED!
Hale Duck Decoy is anything but neglected as you will understand from the website. Volunteers are on the Decoy every week clearing silt from the ditches and recently two new roofs have been put on the hides and more general maintenance undertaken. However, Halton Borough Council do struggle to keep up their interest in the site financially, as their budget is limited. And more importantly some members of The Friends of Pickerings Pasture are ageing although there has recently been some new, younger blood which has helped enormously.
We hope that being on the register will give Halton Borough Council and the Friend’s Group access to funds and experts who will help us continue with the restoration of Hale Duck Decoy.
Please contact The Friends of Pickerings Pasture to arrange to visit Hale Duck Decoy. (Click here)
** Visits are limited as the structure is in the middle of a tidal salt-marsh. **
'Neglected' duck decoy pond placed on Heritage at Risk list. (Click to read)
Whilst we agree that it is good that the site is on the AT RISK REGISTER we do take exception to the word NEGLECTED!
Hale Duck Decoy is anything but neglected as you will understand from the website. Volunteers are on the Decoy every week clearing silt from the ditches and recently two new roofs have been put on the hides and more general maintenance undertaken. However, Halton Borough Council do struggle to keep up their interest in the site financially, as their budget is limited. And more importantly some members of The Friends of Pickerings Pasture are ageing although there has recently been some new, younger blood which has helped enormously.
We hope that being on the register will give Halton Borough Council and the Friend’s Group access to funds and experts who will help us continue with the restoration of Hale Duck Decoy.
Please contact The Friends of Pickerings Pasture to arrange to visit Hale Duck Decoy. (Click here)
** Visits are limited as the structure is in the middle of a tidal salt-marsh. **
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About Historic England
We are Historic England the public body that helps people care for, enjoy and celebrate England’s spectacular historic environment, from beaches and battlefields to parks and pie shops. We protect, champion and save the places that define who we are and where we’ve come from as a nation. We care passionately about the stories these places tell, the ideas they represent and the people who live, work and play among them. Working with communities and specialists we share our passion, knowledge and skills to inspire interest, care and conservation, so everyone can keep enjoying and looking after the history that surrounds us all. |
