English Heritage Visit Website  Contact Details Customer Services Department, PO Box 569, Swindon, SN2 2YP
Tel: +44 (0) 870 333 1181 Fax: +44 (0) 1793 414926 Email: customers AT english-heritage.org.uk
About
English Heritage is a public body with responsibility for all aspects of protecting and promoting the historic environment in England. Officially known as the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England, English Heritage is an Executive Non-departmental Public Body sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). Our powers and responsibilities are set out in the National Heritage Act (1983) and include acting as the Government's statutory advisor on the historic environment. We also work closely with the Departments for Communities and Local Government and Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. English Heritage receives around 75% of its income from the Government and the rest from revenue earned from membership, the properties in it’s care and other sources like legacies. The work of English Heritage is overseen by a board of up to 17 Commissioners selected by the Government for the breadth of their expertise. The Commission is, in turn, advised by expert advisory committees and panels. What We Do English Heritage is the Government’s statutory adviser on the historic environment. Our role is to champion and care for the historic environment which we do by: § Providing conservation grants, advisory and education services § Identifying and helping to protect buildings and archaeological sites of national importance § Maintaining over 400 historic properties and making them accessible to the broadest possible public audience § Maintaining the National Monuments Record as the central publicly accessible archive for the historic environment in England. Membership English Heritage offers both Annual and Life Membership. Go to the Membership section on our website for further information and prices. Annual membership offers the bearer: § Free access to all English Heritage Properties § Free entry for children accompanying a member § Half price admission to historic properties in Scotland, Wales and the Isle of Man. This is completely free after the first year! § Half or reduced-price admission to numerous other historic attractions throughout the country including the Weald and Downland Museum, Flag Fen Excavations, Pendle Heritage Centre, Merchants Adventurers' Hall, Jorvik Viking Centre, the Archaeological Resource Centre and the six historic attractions in the care of Sussex Past. § A copy of the English Heritage Visitors Handbook, Events Diary, More Historic Attractions, Site Map and More Activities for Members. § A regular mailing of the Heritage Today members only magazine. § Free or reduced entry to all special events at English Heritage properties. § Discounted tickets to events such as open-air concerts and foreign holidays. § Opportunities to attend members-only events such as lectures, walks, tours and meetings with specialist staff.
Life Membership has all the benefits of Annual membership with the addition of:
§ Individual Life members can take 1 adult or 2 children (aged up to 16) as guests to English Heritage Properties. Joint Life members can take 2 adults or 4 children. § Free access to reciprocal sites from the start of the membership. § Exclusive Life membership card. How can I join English Heritage? You can now become an English Heritage member online, please visit our Membership section. To apply for membership by post or for more information please contact: English Heritage Membership Department PO Box 570 Swindon SN2 2YR Or call us on 0870 333 1182 Our Properties English Heritage currently has over 400 properties across England in its care. To find those nearest to you visit our Properties & Events section on the website. Events English Heritage offers a wide range of events at its sites during the season. These include bringing history to life with jousting and battle re-enactments and drama and music. The highlight of the year is the Festival of History held each summer, the UK’s best attended historical event. For details of these events and more please visit our Events section. Alternatively, you may contact our Customer Services Department on 0870 333 1181 or customers@english-heritage.org.uk for a copy of our Events Diary. English Heritage Hospitality, the professional event service from English Heritage now offers numerous historic venues for exclusive corporate and private functions. For further details, please visit our Hiring a Venue section. Renting Historic Properties English Heritage now offers you the opportunity to stay at some of our finest historic buildings. Each of our Holiday Cottages is located at the heart of an English Heritage property. Find our more about our Holiday Cottages on our website. Local Advice About Conservation Issues English Heritage has nine Regional Offices which work closely with local councils across England to look after the historic environment. Your nearest regional office will be able to advise whether your query is one for English Heritage or your local council. Advice on Conservation & Revovation Work English Heritage has nine Regional Offices, offering easy, one-stop advice on a wide range of issues. For advice or information on conservation or restoration work please feel free to contact the relevant Regional Office. Listed Buildings We advise the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on proposals to "list" buildings of special historic or architectural interest. English Heritage expert staff also advise local authorities and, where necessary, the Department for Communities and Local Government on applications for listed building consent relating to Grade I or II* buildings or the demolition of any listed building. We also give grants for repairs to outstanding buildings, and give advice to owners of historic properties on how to maintain them. What is listing? The word 'listing' is a short-hand term used to describe one of a number of legal procedures which help the Government to protect the best of our architectural heritage. When buildings are listed they are placed on statutory lists of buildings of 'special architectural or historic interest' compiled by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, on advice from English Heritage. A building's long-term interests are best served by putting it to good use, and if this cannot be the one it was designed for, a new use may have to be found. Listing ensures that the architectural and historic interests of the building is carefully considered before any alterations, either outside or inside, are agreed. Listing is changing In March 2007 the Department for Culture, Media and Sport published “Heritage Protection for the 21st Century”, a White Paper which set out a new legislative framework and policy which will transform the way we protect and promote the historic environment. Instead of designating historic buildings and scheduled monuments separately there will be one national Register of Historic Buildings and Sites for England. Registered Parks and Gardens, Battlefields and World Heritage Sites will also be included in the new Register. Local Authorities will have a statutory duty to maintain or have access to, an Historic Environment Record, which will bring together local designations. Alongside unified designation, a unified consent regime for the management of registered buildings and archaeological sites will be introduced. The changes will result in a more efficient and open system which will give Local Authorities and English Heritage better, more modern tools for the job of protecting the historic environment. The main changes will be: § The Department for Culture, Media and Sport will no longer make listing decisions. Responsibility for designation will rest with English Heritage. § Decisions will be made more quickly and to agreed targets. § English Heritage will open up the system and consult owners when their property is being considered for designation. § Interim legal protection will be introduced for buildings being proposed for designation - to protect from hasty demolition. § Owners will have a right to appeal against a decision for the first time. § English Heritage will de-mystify the process of designation by publishing its selection guides for buildings. Further guides will follow for other assets. How can I get a building listed? English Heritage advises the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on buildings which have been recommended for listing. To make a recommendation please contact the Department at: Listing Branch Department for Culture, Media and Sport 2-4 Cockspur Street London SW1Y 5DH Web: www.culture.gov.uk Email: listing@culture.gov.uk Where can I find out if a building is listed? Details about listing can be obtained from your Local Authority. Where can I find out about buildings at risk? The English Heritage Buildings at Risk Register is published annually to bring together information on all Grade I and II* listed buildings or structural scheduled Ancient Monuments known to English Heritage to be ‘at risk’ through neglect, decay or redundancy, or are vulnerable to becoming so. The Register Of Parks And Gardens We maintain a Register of Parks and Gardens of special historic interest which now contains nearly 1450 sites. The Register helps us to work in partnership with local authorities to manage change to these nationally-important landscapes.
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