A FORMER steam mill, which was built to make ship's biscuits for the Royal Navy more than 200 years ago has been put on the "at risk" register of historic buildings.

Chapel Mills, which is close to the banks of the River Itchen in the Southampton's American Wharf area, is one of five buildings in Hampshire which have been added to the register.

The others are the menagerie pond pavilion at Hackwood Park at Fleet, the Southern Barn at Great Posbrook, Titchfield, the main gate and two lodges at Gosport's Royal Clarence Yard, pictured, and, building R133 which houses a wind tunnel at Farnborough.

English Heritage has described the condition of the barn at Titchfield as "fair and vacant" and has added that it is "continuing to negotiate on a future which will not compromise the building's future".

The addition of the 1830-built main gate and two lodges at the old Clarence Victualling Yard has extended Gosport's list of "at risk" buildings to eight, although it is scheduled for repair as part of a comprehensive redevelopment scheme.

There are signs of improvement in some areas and some buildings which were previously regarded as "at risk" have been taken off the register following painstaking restoration work.

They include the ancient Wine Press at Beaulieu, and Chawton House, the Jane Austen Trust site which was formally opened to the public last Friday.

There is good news for Southampton. A city council spokesman pointed out that the risk categories on two of the city's much-loved old buildings, Tudor House and Holyrood Church have diminished.

Both have had work done and more will take place.

Overall, Hampshire has 42 buildings rated by English Heritage as being "at risk" and the list includes -

Fareham (2): Fort Fareham and Southern Barn at Great Posbrook. Gosport (8): Workshops, boilerhouse and engine room At Haslar gunboat yard, Fort Elson, fortifications north of Mumby Road, Railway Station old terminal, Clarence Victualling Yard mill and granary, Clarence Victualling Yard main gate and two lodges, Gilkicker Fort, Haslar Gunboat Yard guardrooms at HMS Dolphin.

New Forest (2): Pillars at Beaulieu Abbey cloisters and Tide Mill at Beaulieu (repairs in progress).

Southampton (3): Chapel Mills, Holyrood Church and Tudor House Museum.

Winchester (5): Brambridge House (Colden Common), Merdon Castle (Hursley), St Peter's Church (Sparsholt), Lainston House walled garden (Sparsholt), King John's House (Warnford Park).