Scheduling Selection Guides
Archaeological sites and monuments which meet the test of national importance may be scheduled. A Schedule (as we know it today) has been kept since 1913 of monuments considered to be of national importance by the government, although heritage protection of archaeological sites started as far back as 1882.
Here you can find our scheduling-specific selection guides as well as the associated Introduction to Heritage Assets series.
What the guides cover
The current scheduling system operates under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act, with the decision to schedule lying with the Secretary of State. Often sites of undeniable national importance are nevertheless not scheduled, for instance because beneficial management can be better achieved by other means.
Our 18 thematically-arranged selection guides give detailed guidance about what may be eligible for scheduling. Each gives a brief overview of:
- The types of archaeological sites or monuments covered in the guide
- Current understanding, both of their history and development
- In some cases, how many examples are known
The second half of each document sets out the over-arching scheduling criteria, before moving on to offer guidance relevant to the particular assets themselves. A select bibliography gives suggestions for further reading.
Introductions to Heritage Assets
The scheduling selection guides are supported by a series of 41 Introductions to Heritage Assets (IHAs). Each sets out our understanding of particular site or monument types in a brief, up-to-date, factual overview.
