In Over Our Heads: The Urgent Fight to Save Water-Based Heritage

Marine and freshwater heritage sites offer us a window into ways of life that are different from the present. For example, lidos, historic harbours and lifeboat station tell us of human resourcefulness and craftsmanship – revealing stories about how our ancestors lived and worked by the sea. These sites preserve traditions, identities and skills that shaped the landscapes and communities we see today. Without the dedicated effort to save them, we lose not just physical structures, but the stories that connect us to our past and help us understand who we are. They keep our heritage alive – and our landscape beautiful.

However, these sites need our help now more than ever. Imagine caring for a heritage site where the challenges faced include rapidly rising sea levels, fierce coastal storms and intrusive marine life. This is the case for many heritage sites based around the UK partially submerged in marine or fresh water. 

From historic lifeboat stations and harbour walls to jetties and lidos, heritage sites that sit in or alongside water face a unique set of challenges. Existing between land and water means constant exposure to environmental pressures that can accelerate deterioration at alarming speed – and make conservation exponentially more complex.

For sites such as harbour walls, piers and lifeboat stations salt water is relentless. Saltwater seeps into porous material including stone, brick and concrete and, as it dries, it forms salt crystals that expand, cracking the materials from within and gradually destroying foundations.

Freshwater heritage sites, such as lidos and jetties, face an equally as destructive process. The freeze-thaw cycle traps water within the structure which then freezes and expands causing cracks. Then more moisture seeps in through those cracks, and the cycle repeats. The damage compounds year after year.

Then there is aquatic life. In marine environments seaweed, barnacles and mussels attach themselves to the structure, in freshwater water, algae, mosses, lichens do the same. This traps moisture which leads to slow decay. 

Wooden structures submerged in seawater face an even more brutal threat: Shipworm, often nicknamed ‘termites of the sea’. They enter the wood as microscopic larvae and once inside tunnel deeply along the grain. The worst part is, these ‘termites’ can cause sudden structural collapse - although the wood appears intact from the outside, its interior is riddled with thousands of tiny tunnels.

On top of this, the frequent cycle of wetting and drying from waves, tides and storms speeds up weathering. The constant movement of water can also slowly shift foundations, posing a serious threat to any site, especially one that is centuries old! Add on climate change and the risk of flooding and permanent submersion increases adding another layer if urgency.

Monitoring and prevention are the highest priorities. Regular inspections, routine maintenance and rapid responses after storms and flooding.

But the challenge is access to these sites is often restricted by tides or severe weather which means repairs can only take place during short windows when conditions are safe. In addition, material used for conservation can often be costly as not only do they have to be compatible with the fabric of the building but also provide durability. Larger preventative measures such as sea walls and flood management programmes also play an important role in protecting these sites but can be expensive to design, construct, and maintain.

Finally, many projects require coordination between several organisations, with heritage bodies, local authorities and environmental agencies working together to save the site.

It's complex. It's demanding. It's urgent.

This is exactly why we're bringing together the experts on November 17th for In Over Our Heads: Heritage in the Water – our online event designed to help you understand these challenges and discover how organisations are actually solving them. 

Take the Longhope Lifeboat Museum (external link) (opens in new tab) on the island of Hoy, Orkney – a perfect example of marine heritage under pressure.

Located within the original lifeboat station, the museum tells the story of Longhope's lifeboat service from 1874 and preserves a remarkable collection of maritime heritage. Its coastal location means the building is continually exposed to the harsh marine environment, making conservation an ongoing challenge.

Thanks to funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund of £1.6 million, the museum is now carrying out major conservation work. The funding will restore the Grade B-listed lifeboat station and conserve the RNLI Thomas McCunn, the UK's only seaworthy slipway-launched vintage lifeboat, helping to protect this hugely significant heritage for future generations.

This is what happens when expertise, funding and determination come together.

Join us on November 17th

At In Over Our Heads: Heritage in the Water, you'll hear directly from marine heritage specialists who are tackling these challenges every day:

Whether you work with a heritage site, volunteer with a local organisation or simply have an interest in marine heritage, we'd love for you to join us.

Book your place on Eventbrite (external link) (opens in new tab) today.