Preserving the beauty of our wilds and our links to the past by preserving historic buildings is of the utmost importance. Not only is this a way to teach our children about where we come from – it’s also a way to reflect on the innovations of that period and reimagine them to suit the scenarios we deal with today. Find out more on listed buildings in the UK by reading on.
History of listed
buildings
The United Kingdom has
long prided itself on the exquisite works produced by their forefathers, so it
isn’t surprising that they’ve gone to great lengths to protect these historic
architectural artworks. This desire to protect buildings has been present for
centuries, but listed buildings are a relatively new category when you look at
the historical timeline.
Discussions for creating a listed building category were already in motion to some effect in the early 1900s, but the discussion was accelerated during World War II when German bombing raids destroyed many historic buildings. The devastation left behind in the wake of the war helped to solidify the understanding that preserving historical landmarks was an important part of our societal duties.
What is a listed building?
A listed building in the UK is a structure that has been placed on a statutory list that is maintained by Historic England, Historic Environmental Scotland, Cadw, or the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. These four agencies maintain the lists in order to help protect the historic value associated with listed buildings in the UK.
The majority of sites
that appear on the listed building list are actual buildings, but there are
some exceptions. Bridges, monuments, sculptures, milestones and mileposts, war
memorials – even the Abbey Road pedestrian crossing featured in The Beatles’
cover art are also considered listed buildings.
Regulations
Part of this protection for listed buildings in the UK is to regulate extensions, alterations, and demolitions. Each of the four committees works to determine whether it is appropriate for any sort of improvement project or demolition to be done. There are many factors that go into this, but one of the most important is simply making sure that the projects done on these buildings are either absolutely necessary (in the case of demolition), won’t cause damage to the building, or make it impossible to reverse the changes made to the building without damage.
Local Planning Authority
These specifications can make it difficult to make any sort of improvements to listed buildings. The best way to work around this is to contact your local chapter of these agencies and talk with them extensively about the changes you would like to make to the listed structure. Take note of any concerns they may have about the project and the permits/information they’ll need from you later in order to help get the approval you’ll need to start your updates.
What is the difference between a listed building and an ancient monument?
A listed building is
any type of historic structure that has been determined necessary to preserve
because of its historical significance. These buildings often have ties to some
sort of important historical event or an influential person (or group of
people). An example of this can be seen with the Globe Theatre which was
determined to be significant because of Shakespeare’s connection to the
location.
Ancient monuments, however, fall into a different class. They are not ‘listed’ – instead, any ancient monument that is determined to be historically significant and of national importance is ‘scheduled.’ Although this name suggests that only ancient structures and locations can be scheduled, this is far from true. Examples of more recent structures that have been categorized as ‘ancient monuments’ are war defences.
What requirements must a structure meet to be a listed building?
A listed building is
any building that has either architectural importance or historical importance.
In some cases, there are structures that meet both of these requirements.
Additionally, almost any structure or location can be listed – there is no requirement
that a listed building in the UK should actually be a building, despite the
implications that are made by the name.
There are certain criteria that must be met for a building to be listed, however. Because there are many buildings with some sort of historical architectural importance, there are many who take the additional step of qualifying structures to the ‘UK listed buildings’ list by using the following criteria.
Criteria for making a building a listed building
In order to make the
listed building list, there are certain criteria that the building or structure
in question should meet. This helps to narrow down the list of structures that
are considered a priority when it comes to preservation – especially when it
comes to determining historical architectural significance.
Age and rarity
These two factors are one of the most important when it comes to determining the importance of a structure and if it should be included in the listed building UK list. There are two main thoughts behind these criteria.
- The
older the building is, the more likely it is to be listed. This is especially
true for buildings that were constructed before the year 1700. - The rarer
a building is, the more likely it is to be listed. If there were over 2,000
houses built in 1897 and designed in exactly the same manner, it is unlikely
that all of them would be listed.
Though both of these
criteria are for the same category, there tend to be some differences in how
they are handled. Specifically, the age of a structure is the biggest
determining factor when it comes to this piece of criteria:
- If a
building was built before the year 1700 and is considered to hold ‘a
significant proportion of their original fabric’ it will be listed without
question. - If a
building was constructed between 1700 and 1840, it will most likely be listed.
Slightly more attention will be given to the condition of the structure and the
rarity of the structure. Despite this, the age itself tends to make an
exceptional case for rarity and most are accepted. - If a
building was completed after the year 1840, there is considerably more time
that goes into making the decision of listing the building. Usually, only
buildings in excellent condition, or a condition that can be restored to its
original quality, will be listed. - If a
building was constructed after the year 1945, the four committees spend
considerable time when they make their decision over whether the building
should be listed or not. They emphasize that ‘particularly careful selection’
is applied in these cases.
Buildings that are no more than 30 years old are hardly ever considered to merit the title of a listed building in the UK. However, there are special considerations that can be made if these structures are ‘of outstanding quality and under threat.’
Suggested further reading: Period windows: all about your listed building windows
Aesthetic merits
Aesthetic merits
(especial those concerning significant historical architectural practices) are
a very big factor when it comes to accepting a building onto the listed
building UK list. It has been determined that a building should be
aesthetically pleasing to make the list. There have, however, been instances
when buildings that are not aesthetically pleasing have been accepted onto the
list because they represent certain aspects of social and/or economic history.
Selectivity
When there are a large
number of a certain type of building that has survived into the modern era
(especially those that were constructed around the same time), the committees
will only list the buildings that serve as the best representations of that
particular building style. Buildings that hold some sort of historical
significance, however, may still be preserved over a building in better
condition but with no significance.
National interest
Another key determination in deciding which buildings should be listed is the national interest that they may represent. For example, buildings that represent a nationally important but localized industry are likely to be listed. Additionally, buildings that are significant or distinctive to their region will likely be listed in the UK listed buildings.
Can you apply to register a building as a listed building?
You can have a
building in your area listed by applying to the secretary of state. This is
done by going to the Historic England web page and submitting an application detailing
the importance of the building and why you think it should be listed. You do
not have to own the building in order to attempt to have it added to the listed
buildings list.
Once the Historic England committee looks over your application, they will forward their advice to the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State will then make a final decision on whether the building should be listed or not. The same process as detailed above is also used to determine which buildings should be delisted.
What are the different listed buildings categories?
A building qualifies as listed because different qualities, but only three grades may be assign to those added in the list. Although the criteria and grading status may vary depending on what committee and country oversee a particular building, these are some similarities that carry over. These are the criteria for England and Wales.
Grade I
Grade I structures are considered to be buildings of exceptional interest. Only 2.5 per cent of over 370,000 listed buildings qualified as a Grade I status. Interestingly, 45 per cent of all Grade I listed buildings are churches.
Examples of Grade I
structures include:
- Tower
Bridge in London - The
Cenotaph in London - The
Manchester Liverpool Road Railway Station in Manchester - The
Pontcyscyllte Aqueduct in North Wales - The
Humber Bridge in East Riding of Yorkshire - The
Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol - The
Palace of Westminister in London - The
Warwick Castle in Warwick - The
Portchester Castle in Hampshire
Grade II*
Grade II* are structures that are considered ‘particularly important buildings of more than special interest. Only 5.5 per cent of all 370,000 listed building in the UK qualified as Grade II*.
Examples of Grade II*
structures include:
- The
Cleveland Bridge in Bath - The
Trellick Tower in London - St
John’s Jerusalem in Kent - Shibden
Hall in Calderdale - Middlesbrough
Transporter Bridge in Middlesbrough - Rise
Hall in East Riding of Yorkshire - The
Battersea Power Station in London - The
Capel Manor House in Kent - The
Coliseum Theatre in London - The
Manchester Town Hall Extension in Manchester
Grade II
Grade II buildings are structures considered to be ‘of special interest, warranting every effort to preserve them.’ The majority of listed buildings are placed on the Grade II list. About 92 per cent of all listed buildings qualified as Grade II listed building!
Examples of Grade II
structures include:
- The Broomhill Pool in Ipswich
- The BT Tower in London
- The Whitechapel Bell Foundry in London
- The India House in London
- The Surbiton Railway Station in London
- The Abbey Road Studios in London
- The Kursaal in Southend-On-Sea
Locally listed buildings
In addition to nationally recognized listed buildings, there are also many city councils that choose to make their own listed buildings list. The Birmingham City Council and the Crawley Borough Council have their local list. Sometimes these locally listed buildings also belong to the nationally listed buildings list – but this isn’t necessarily the case.
City councils sort these locally listed buildings into three different grades: Grade A, Grade B, and Grade C.
Grade A
Grade A structures are
considered to be of statutory list quality. They are so prioritized because
they are ‘to be the subject of the notification of Historic England if
imminently threatened.
Grade B
Grade B structures are
seen as being important in terms of the city’s surrounding architecture or
local street scene context.
Grade C
Grade C structures are
considered to be significant in the local and historical context – including
buildings that have industrial archaeological features, making them worthy of
retention.
These structures make up the architectural history of England. So, once you decide to go to the United Kingdom, or a resident seeking to find new adventures, check out these historical sites and marvel at their beauty!
This article was written on behalf of Boulton & Boyce by Pieter Boyce. Pieter has an intense passion for English Architectural history and has been specialising in the conservation of original wooden windows and doors for decades. His exceptional knowledge of timber windows and doors, both listed or non-listed, is attributed to his hands-on approach to learning all aspects of the complete restoration of original features as well as having personally surveyed thousands of items throughout his long tenure as a head surveyor for one of the largest window and door restoration companies in the UK. He now runs a boutique wooden window and door consultancy and fervently champions the retention of original windows and doors. To learn more of Pieter’s services, visit his website at www.boultonboyce.co.uk.
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