Historic England launches Enriching the List project

From 7 June Historic England is inviting the public to contribute their knowledge, insights and images of England’s important buildings, structures and places.

The List, which began in 1882, now encompasses almost 400,000 richly diverse entries – from cathedrals and palaces, to tower blocks, tombstones and even pigsties. The List provides a free and unique record of the country’s evolving history and character.

Historic England hopes that contributions from individuals and community groups will enhance the value of the List, unlocking secrets about some of our less well-known places and spaces.

C20 Director Catherine Croft said: ‘This is a great way of making us all more aware of the heritage that surrounds us in our daily lives. Whilst dry, old-style list descriptions included little more than an address, the new style ones are packed with fascinating information and are a fabulous resource, especially for post-war buildings, which are still often misunderstood. Asking the public to complement this rigorous analysis with images and stories will guide more people to the list as well as showing just how profoundly buildings impact on all our lives. This is a fantastic way to support the case for protection and imaginative reuse, but we must not underrate less accessible buildings, or those with less immediate popular appeal, as a result.’

You can find out more about Enriching the List at the Historic England website or by emailing EnrichingTheList@HistoricEngland.org.uk.