English Heritage facts for kids
English Heritage's logo
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| Predecessor | The Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England, also known as English Heritage |
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| Formation | 1 April 2015; Preceding English Heritage government agency, formed 1983 |
| Type | Charity |
| Registration no. | 1140351 |
| Headquarters | The Engine House, Swindon |
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Region
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England |
| Fields | Heritage |
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Membership (2014/15)
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1.34 million |
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Chairman
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Gerard Lemos |
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Chief Executive
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Dr. Nick Merriman, OBE |
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Revenue (2014/15)
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£74.5 million |
| Expenses (2014/15) | £176.2 million |
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Staff (2015)
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2,699 |
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Volunteers (2014/15)
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1,872 |
English Heritage is a charity that looks after over 400 important historic places. These include very old sites, medieval castles, Roman forts, and grand country houses.
The charity wants to "bring the story of England to life." They do this for more than 10 million people every year. Some of their famous sites are Stonehenge, Dover Castle, Tintagel Castle, and parts of Hadrian's Wall. English Heritage also runs the London blue plaque scheme. This scheme puts special blue signs on buildings. These signs show where famous historical people once lived.
English Heritage first started in 1983. Back then, it was a government agency. Its job was to protect England's history. It also managed many historic properties. In 1999, it joined with other groups. This helped them gather more information about England's historic places.
On April 1, 2015, English Heritage split into two parts. One part is called Historic England. This group handles the legal side of protecting historic places. The other part is the new English Heritage Trust. This is a charity that manages the historic properties. It kept the original English Heritage name and logo. The British government gave the new charity £80 million. This money helped it become an independent trust. However, the historic properties still belong to the state.
Contents
How English Heritage Started
From Government Body to Charity
For many years, different government groups looked after England's heritage. This started with the "Kings Works" after the Norman Conquest. Later, groups like the Ministry of Works took over. The government's legal duty to protect old places began in 1882. Over time, they created ways to protect different types of historic sites. This included listing important buildings.
In 1983, the government decided to create a new agency. This agency would be in charge of England's historic environment. It was called the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission. It started on April 1, 1984. Soon after, its first chairman, Lord Montagu, gave it the working name English Heritage.
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English Heritage also created lists of historic parks and gardens in 1984. They added a list for historic battlefields in 1995. In 1999, English Heritage joined with other important groups. These groups included the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England. This merger brought together many resources. It helped them identify and study England's historic places. They gained millions of records and photos. This made English Heritage one of the largest public archives in the UK.
In 2006, English Heritage took over managing the system for listed buildings. This means they help decide which buildings are important enough to protect.
In 2010, English Heritage became the government's main advisor on historic places. They also gave out the most money for heritage projects. However, they faced budget cuts. This led to a large repair bill for their sites.
Becoming a Charitable Trust
In 2013, the British Government announced a new plan. They would give English Heritage £80 million. This money would help English Heritage become a self-funding charity. The historic properties would still belong to the public. But the new English Heritage would manage them.
This change happened on April 1, 2015. The part of the old English Heritage that handled planning and protection became Historic England. The new English Heritage Trust took over caring for the historic properties. It also kept the well-known English Heritage name and logo. The new trust has a license to manage these properties until 2025.
England's Historic Collection
English Heritage looks after over 400 sites and monuments. Some of the most famous are Stonehenge, Osborne, Iron Bridge, and Dover Castle. Many sites charge an entry fee. But more than 250 properties are free to visit. These include Maiden Castle, Dorset and St Catherine's Oratory.
These sites are part of a larger collection of over 880 historic places. The British Government gathered these places between the 1880s and 1970s. This collection is like the paintings in the National Gallery. It's also like the old items in the British Museum. It shows how the state wanted to protect important prehistoric and medieval sites.
English Heritage does not have many furnished homes. But Charles Darwin's home and Brodsworth Hall are big exceptions. New sites are rarely added to the collection now. Other charities are encouraged to care for them. Recent additions include Harmondsworth Great Barn in 2011 and Carrawburgh Roman Fort in 2020.
English Heritage manages these properties in different ways. Most are under the care of the Secretary of State. English Heritage owns some properties. Other properties belong to different government departments or the Crown Estate.
In 2013–14, 5.73 million people visited staffed sites. Over 713,000 free educational visits also took place. In February 2024, English Heritage reported record family visits. Numbers were up 50% over the last ten years. 2023 was also a record year for sites like Tintagel Castle.
How English Heritage Gets Money
As a charity, English Heritage gets its money from several sources. They earn money from admission fees to their sites. They also get money from membership fees. Selling food, drinks, and gifts helps too. Fundraising and grants also provide income. The government gave them £80 million in yearly payments until 2023. This helps them pay for repairs at their sites.
Before becoming a charity, English Heritage got most of its money from the government. In 2013–2014, they had a total income of £186.55 million. About £99.85 million came from government grants. The rest came from things like admissions and memberships.
The trust plans to reduce how much government money it needs. They aim to need no government money by 2022–23.
Joining English Heritage
People can become "members" of English Heritage. Members get benefits like free entry to properties. They also get special events just for members. Members can also visit sites managed by Cadw in Wales and Historic Scotland for free or at a lower cost. In 2014–15, there were 1.34 million members. However, members do not get to vote or influence how English Heritage is run.
English Heritage asks for opinions from many groups. They also ask the public for their views. This is often done through online surveys. For example, they asked for views on the Stonehenge road tunnel plans.
Volunteering with English Heritage
English Heritage welcomes volunteers. Volunteers can help in many ways. They can guide visitors in rooms or run education workshops. They also help with gardening, cleaning old items, and research.
In 2014–15, the number of regular volunteers reached 1,872. This was up from 1,473 in 2013–14.
1066 March
In 2016, English Heritage marked a special anniversary. It was 950 years since the Battle of Hastings. To celebrate, they organized the 1066 March. A team of volunteers walked from Clifford's Tower in York to Battle Abbey in East Sussex. They completed the long journey in three weeks. They arrived at Battle Abbey on October 14, 2016.
How English Heritage is Run
A group of trustees leads English Heritage. They decide the main plans for the organization. They make sure English Heritage achieves its goals. The chairman, Gerard Lemos, leads this board.
The chief executive, Nick Merriman, manages the daily operations. He is supported by a team of eight directors.
In 2013–14, before it became a charity, English Heritage had 2,578 staff members.
The Blue Plaque Scheme
English Heritage has managed the blue plaque scheme in London since 1986. These plaques are on buildings in London. They show where important historical people lived or worked. English Heritage still runs this scheme after becoming a charity in 2015.
For a short time, English Heritage tried putting plaques outside London. These were in places like Merseyside and Birmingham. But this idea was stopped in 2005.
Many other plaques exist across the UK. Local councils and groups put these up. English Heritage does not manage or approve these other plaques. An online list of these plaques is available at Open Plaques.
Working with Young People
Since 2018, English Heritage has run a project called Shout Out Loud. This project helps young people explore historic sites. It also helps them discover untold stories from the past. This program aims to include young people's ideas. It gives them creative ways to get involved. Shout Out Loud was first funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Shout Out Loud has worked with many partners. These include Photoworks and the National Youth Theatre. They delivered several projects. For example, "The Ancestors" explored Black prisoners of war. "Our House" looked at LGBTQ+ history.
Shout Out Loud won an award in 2019 for "Our House." It was also nominated for another award in 2022.
Young people can join the program in many ways. They can take part in online projects. They can also join creative workshops. These are often shared on their Instagram channel @eh_shoutoutloud. Young people can also join groups like "Young Associates" (ages 16–25) or "Young Producers" (ages 18–25). Paid placements are also available. Past participants have gone on to work for the BBC and Netflix.
See also
- Battle of the Beanfield
- Castles in Great Britain and Ireland
- Festival of History
- Historic Chapels Trust
- List of English Heritage properties
- List of monastic houses in England
Similar organisations
- Cadw
- Historic Environment Scotland
- Manx National Heritage
- National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
Images for kids
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Rembrandt: van Rijn
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Joseph Mallord: William Turner
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