A derelict mansion called Parndon Hall, located within the grounds of Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, Essex, has been named to the Victorian Society’s annual list of the top ten at-risk buildings in England and Wales. The house, built in 1867, contains a hidden trove of wall paintings by the almost-forgotten Victorian artist Elizabeth Arkwright, who covered walls, ceilings, and doors with nymphs, mermaids, and cherubs—many still concealed under Edwardian whitewash. The building has been used for storage and has sat unoccupied since flood repairs in 2024.
The listing highlights the urgent need to preserve a rare and significant body of work by a female artist that deserves national recognition, according to Victorian Society director James Hughes. The society’s president, actor Griff Rhys Jones, called the neglect a waste and urged Harlow to repurpose the building as an asset. The list also includes other endangered structures like the Tees Transporter Bridge, a Victorian disinfecting station in Hackney, and the former Derby School of Art, underscoring broader challenges in preserving historic architecture across England and Wales.