The petition of residents of Amber Valley and the wider Derbyshire area,
Declares that the future of Wingfield Manor should be conserved and that it should be made accessible to visitors once more; notes that the ruin of Wingfield Manor is a scheduled monument on which the government of 1960 placed a guardianship order, recognising its historical significance; further notes that the Manor, built in the 15th Century, is said to have inspired the architecture of Hampton Court and served as a backdrop to the infamous Babington Plot when its most famous resident, Mary Queen of Scots, was imprisoned; further declares that the Manor has been under the care of English Heritage but it is privately owned and soon to be put up for sale; and further declares that this presents a unique opportunity which is currently on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to take immediate steps to secure the future of Wingfield Manor and ensure it is, once again, accessible to visitors and available for future generations to enjoy.
And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Linsey Farnsworth, Official Report, 22 July 2025; Vol. 771, c. 810.]
[P003102]
Observations from the Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Baroness Twycross):
Wingfield Manor is an exceptional and complex site. It is a grade I listed ruined manor, with a rich and fascinating history. The two edges of the site are in the guardianship of the state and managed by English Heritage Trust, with the central section of the site remaining in private ownership.
EHT carries out its stewardship of the national heritage collection of over 400 sites, including parts of Wingfield Manor, under a licence from Historic England, and has to undertake careful prioritisation of conservation and maintenance requirements across the entire collection. EHT may also seek external funding from bodies such as the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the National Heritage Memorial Fund to deliver maximum public benefit for the collection.
We understand that both my hon. Friend the Member for Amber Valley (Linsey Farnsworth) and EHT have recently been in contact with NLHF to explore whether funding might be available to assist with finding a sustainable and long-term solution for the challenges at Wingfield Manor. EHT is now reflecting on those conversations in order to review whether the funding potentially available could provide an option to help support the manor to reopen safely. Any application for funding must meet the NLHF’s eligibility criteria.
We understand that the owner of the manor has not indicated formally any desire to sell their section of the property and EHT has not held any conversations with the NLHF or the NHMF regarding funding for such a purchase, should the owner do so.
EHT’s current position is that due to the significant challenges at the site, the priority is to safeguard the ruins that are within the guardianship of the state. This is to prevent the deterioration of this important historic fabric and to ensure that the site is safe. EHT and Historic England are committed to working together to tackle the complex challenges at the site and to determine what action is needed to support the future of Wingfield Manor for the long term, including making it accessible to visitors again.