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Grade I: These are buildings of exceptional interest
(less than 5 percent of the listed buildings so far are in this grade).
Grade II: These are buildings of special interest, which
warrant every effort being made to preserve them. (Some particularly
important buildings in Grade II are classified as Grade II*).
There was previously a Grade III which did not form part
of the statutory list. Since the adoption of current standards many
buildings originally shown as Grade III qualified for selection,
particularly when they possessed group value, and are situated on the
lists accordingly.
How the buildings are chosen
The
principles of selection for these lists were originally drawn up by an
expert committee of architects, antiquarians and historians, and are
still followed. Buildings that qualify for listing are (a) All buildings
before 1700 which survive in anything like their original condition, (b)
Most buildings between I 700 and 1840, though selection is necessary,
and (c) between 1840 and 1914 only buildings of definite quality and
character: the selection being designed to include the principle works
of the principle architects. Selected buildings after 1914 are also
considered. Buildings which are less than 30 years old are normally
listed only if they are of outstanding quality and under threat.
Buildings less than 10 years old are not listed.
In
choosing buildings, particular attention is paid to:
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Special value within certain types, either for
architectural or planning reasons or as illustrating social,
economic, cultural or military history (for instance, industrial
buildings, railway stations, schools, hospital, theatres, town
halls, markets, exchanges, almshouses, prisons, lockups, mills).
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Architectural interest and aesthetic merits:
significant plan forms; architectural design, decoration and
craftsmanship.
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Technological innovation or virtuosity (for instance
cast iron, prefabrication, or the early use of concrete).
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Group value, especially where buildings comprise an
important architectural or historic unity or a fine example of town
planning (for instance, squares, terraces or model villages).
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Association with nationally important people or
events.
Not all
these criteria will be relevant to every case, but a particular building
may qualify for listing under more than one of them. A survey is carried
out by the Department’s Inspector of Historic Buildings for each local
authority area and buildings are classified in grades to show their
relative importance.
Changes to historic building listing
From April 2005, there will be significant changes to historic
building listing in England. From 1st April all new listing will be
undertaken by English Heritage (EH) and not the Department for
Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). In future EH will inform owners if
their building is to be listed and there will be an opportunity for
discussion before listing takes place.
This is the first stage of wide ranging reforms. Some initiatives,
like the establishment of a single register for Listed Buildings,
Ancient Monuments, Historic Parks, etc, will need primary
legislation.
In addition, the DCMS is to publish a consultation on the criteria
for selection of listed buildings. And the government intends to
replace the current informal review procedure when there is a
dispute about listing decisions with a formal process. For further
information see the
DCMS website.
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