Tragic loss to fire of Newell House

Tragic loss to fire of Newell House and the need for better protection of Dorset’s historic buildings

You will be well aware by now of the tragic loss to fire of Newell House (on 26th April), a much-loved building at the junction of the A30 and the Marston Road, rich in the history of Sherborne Town and for this and its architectural importance Listed Grade II.

We await the police and fire service investigation into the cause of the fire, but in the meantime, I have called on the Sherborne Town Council to initiate at once an independent inquiry into the background, actions taken and lessons to be learned from this tragic loss of one of Sherborne’s best loved houses.

For many years, we and other groups have become increasingly concerned at the condition and security of Newell House, not least as it has now been unoccupied for over twenty years. Going back to over five years ago, we have been lobbying the Town and the County Councils to take urgent action to safeguard the site, which includes a large garden housing a listed barn. We have enjoyed support from the Town Council; but at County level we have encountered hard-working, frustrated officials unable to find solutions owing to regulatory and financial constraints, led by Councillors who responded complacently to our concerns and showed little interest in the County’s listed buildings.

Even as trespassing increased and vandalism started to erode the building’s fabric, we saw none of the necessary determination needed to engage effectively with the owner, or indeed take the measures which we perceived as crucial to safeguarding the building. In the end, if a crime was committed, the perpetrators, together with the owner, who has failed to take positive measures to protect the House, must bear the major blame for this tragedy. However, we believe that the County leadership could and should have done more to prevent this totally predictable outcome, and we expect the proposed inquiry to hold the Dorset Council vigorously to account and to make recommendations which will ensure better protection of Dorset’s historic buildings, which number over 12,500.

Sir Christopher Coville

Chairman, Sherborne and District Society (CPRE)