Blue Idol on ‘at risk’ list

Blue Idol Meeting House remains 'at risk'

The historic Blue Idol Meeting House in West Sussex remains ‘at risk’, according to English Heritage’s latest register of vulnerable historic buildings.

The Meeting house has been on English Heritage’s at risk register since 2012, when its condition was deemed ‘very bad’, Robert Williams, the charity’s heritage at risk architect, told the Friend.

‘I visited and reported on the poor state of the Horsham slab roof, defects to the timber-framed structure and inadequate rainwater disposal system. The building was at risk from rain entry, rot and structural failure,’ he said.

The restoration began in 2013. The old Horsham Stone roof was removed and a temporary roof erected. The finish date has been postponed a number of times because of the presence of both bats and asbestos. The most recent delay was due to the discovery of splits in some of the building’s main timbers, Blue Idol co-clerk Roger Wilson told the Friend.

‘It looks as if the provisional completion date of May 2015 may well slip further into the future. We believe that in the end our historic Meeting house will be restored, safe and no longer on the English Heritage “at risk” register, but we still do not know when,’ he said.

English Heritage’s Robert Williams added that, ‘as the repair works are currently underway under a temporary roof, the level of risk to the building is decreasing’.

‘When the current contract of works is completed, the Blue Idol will be removed from the register,’ he confirmed.

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