THE ancient ruins of Tavistock Abbey have been placed on Historic England’s ‘At Risk’ register, it was revealed on Friday.

The abbey ruins, a scheduled ancient monument, was revealed as a new addition to the ‘at risk’ list because of unmanaged scrub growth and water damage. The ‘at risk’ register gives an annual snapshot of the condition of the South West’s most important historic buildings, sites, monuments and places.

Grade I listed Tavistock Abbey is central to the history and character of the town. The Saxon foundation of the abbey places it among the earliest of the medieval religious houses founded in Britain and its occupation from 974 to 1579 included a Benedictine order for over five and a half centuries.

The ruins — standing, ruined and buried remains — are sited in the centre of town on the north side of the River Tavy.

Although the whole of the ruins have been put on the register, Historic England is most concerned about Betsy Grimbal’s Tower and Still Tower and has awarded a grant to carry out a condition survey and conservation management plan for the two towers.

A spokesperson for Historic England said: ‘The Tavistock Abbey site as a whole has been added because it all shares a single designation ID, but the areas we’re most concerned about are Betsy Grimbal’s Tower (the West Gatehouse) and the Still Tower. We’ve given a grant to cover a condition survey and the creation of a management plan for these two sections so that a strategy can be developed to deal with the works needed.’

Jacqui Orange, works administrator for Tavistock Town Council, said although being added to the ‘at risk’ register sounded negative, it was actually a good thing, meaning a grant could be obtained to carry out essential work.

She said: ‘This is a step forward and the first step in the process of making sure that the buildings are saved and brought back into shape. It has to be deemed at risk in order to be given financial support.

‘The buildings are not at risk in the sense that they are falling down, they are just in need of some TLC.

‘The problem with Betsy Grimbal’s Tower is that water has been penetrating the walls. The condition survey will determine how much damage there is. We’ve had architects look at it to talk about sensitive vegetation removal and looking at creative ways to stop more water damage. We will also be checking the stability of the tower and commissioning really detailed survey works.

‘Betsy Grimbal’s Tower has some old timbers and ancient stone work and houses the sarcophagus so it should provide us with some recommendations for those to be displayed sensitively so they can still be seen by the public.

‘Still Tower is less under threat. Decades ago the tower had some unsympathetic restoration with a concrete roof put on but that has kept it more watertight.’

Betsy Grimbal’s Tower is sited in the vicarage car park next to the Bedford Hotel and the sarcophagus, believed to hold the bones of Ordulf, founder of Tavistock Abbey, and his wife can be seen through the iron gates. Still Tower can be seen from Abbey Walk built into the walls at the back of the Bedford Hotel.