HISTORY and heritage are more popular than ever before according to new figures just published. Yet in spite of this huge popular appeal some of the UK's most cherished historic buildings at the heart of many communities are under threat.

Results from The History Matters - Pass It On campaign, launched back in July, clearly show that a passion for the past is most definitely not history with well over a million people nationwide having taken part in the initiative.

However, Heritage Counts 2006, the annual report on the state of the historic environment, highlights the challenges facing public buildings as a result of major changes in the way public services are delivered.

Commenting on the issue, English Heritage's regional director for the South East, Dr Andy Brown, said: "Our ancestors, particularly the Victorians, left us a magnificent legacy of stunning public and civic buildings which not only served an important purpose for the local community but also embodied the spirit of their age.

"Today there are public buildings that are redundant or face a very uncertain future. And yet these buildings still have an important value locally that goes far beyond their original uses. They endow a sense of distinctiveness on a place as well as helping to shape its character and they often have an emotional resonance for local people that goes deeper than their very bricks and mortar.

"Because they are iconic their loss has a dramatic impact on the look and feel of a local area. At the moment the number of public buildings at risk is relatively small but this so easily could turn into a flood unless we work hard to find positive alternative uses for these great civic buildings."

In Oxfordshire, a £1.5m appeal to repair a leaking roof and treat dry rot and save St. Mary's Church, Banbury, was highlighted.

The Oxford Castle Regeneration project was also singled out - as it showed how a sensitive new-build and effective re-use of brown field land can work along side the historic environment, with the ancient monuments and listed buildings on the site being restored and integrated with new buildings to create an architecturally dynamic area in the heart of the city.

The High Street Methodist Church in Witney was also listed as a positive example of community heritage projects.

The History Matters - Pass It On campaign was developed by a partnership of heritage organisations, including The National Trust, English Heritage, the Heritage Lottery Fund, Heritage Link, Civic Trust and the Historic Houses Association.

The campaign aimed to make people aware of the crucial importance of history and heritage to our everyday lives as well as encouraging people to get involved.

In the four months since its launch in July:

  • More than 1.1 million people nationwide have shown their support by taking a badge or making an on-line declaration;
  • Over one million people took part in the Heritage Open Days weekend when hundreds of heritage sites opened for free as part of the campaign on September 9
  • Forty six thousand people helped to make history by contributing a blog of what they did on one single day - October 17- which will be recorded for posterity at the British Library
  • Almost ten thousand people have completed a postcard telling us why history matters to them
  • Over 800 local groups and organisations have taken part in the campaign.