Farmers in ES save thousands of historic monuments
The Heritage at Risk Register, produced by English Heritage, details more than 2,000 scheduled monuments 10% of the national total which have been entered into ES. Of these around 800 are ancient sites that were previously under the plough but which have since been taken out of cultivation or had their protection enhanced.
The importance of ES in positively managing scheduled monuments has been acknowledged by English Heritage. Dr Vince Holyoak, Senior Policy Adviser for English Heritage, said: Finding sustainable long-term solutions through working with owners and third partners, notably the Environmental Stewardship scheme with Natural England, has produced remarkable success.
The importance of archaeological sites as part of our heritage is immeasurable and their urgent needs must not be ignored. The Heritage at Risk Register equips us well to continue rescuing England’s most ancient historic remains for the future and we will do all we can to avoid this year’s success rate from slowing down or even being reversed.
Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) has a range of options which can be used to manage and protect archaeological sites, whether under cultivation or threatened by scrub, tree growth, erosion or animal burrowing. These options, outlined in the Natural England leaflet Farming for the Historic Environment, also enable farmers to maintain traditional farm buildings and boost their business. In addition, Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) can fund capital repairs to eligible standing structures and historic buildings.
A range of scheduled sites have now been protected through both land management options and capital works. Last year, for example, HLS helped fund repairs to Shittleheugh Bastle in Northumberland (a bastle is a type of defensible farmstead built in the 16th and 17th centuries that is unique to the North East). The bastle, a scheduled monument in serious danger of deterioration and identified as a building at risk by English Heritage, was given painstaking and sensitive repairs. Loose stones were carefully rebedded, masonry repointed and lost building stone replaced. The bastle is no longer at risk and has been safeguarded for future generations to enjoy. In addition, the project has received a prestigious award from the construction industry. In May this year the Constructing Excellence in the North East Awards gave its Heritage Award to Shittleheugh in recognition of the excellent standards employed in the repairs.
Miss Linden Craven, whose 500-acre sheep farm includes Shittleheugh Bastle, said: I had no funds to put into the bastle so the only way help could be given was through Environmental Stewardship. It all worked extremely smoothly and the bastle now looks really good its an asset to the farm.
Robin Tucker, Natural Englands Executive Director for National Delivery, concluded: Every farm has played its part in the history of this country and many still bear fascinating traces of the past. The Heritage at Risk Register has proved to be a valuable tool for Natural England in helping to target scheduled monuments for Stewardship and Im delighted that Natural England is able to support the many efforts that farmers are making to safeguard these monuments for future generations.
Press release: Farmers in ES save thousands of historic monuments
1. For more information on Environmental Stewardship visit www.naturalengland.org.uk/es .
2. The leaflet Farming for the Historic Environment can be downloaded from the following web page: http://naturalengland.etraderstores.com/NaturalEnglandShop/NE229 .
3. The Heritage at Risk Register was published by English Heritage in July and can be viewed at http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/protecting/heritage-at-risk/ .
About Natural England
Natural England is the governments independent adviser on the natural environment. Established in 2006 our work is focused on enhancing Englands wildlife and landscapes and maximising the benefits they bring to the public.
– We establish and care for Englands main wildlife and geological sites, ensuring that over 4,000 National Nature Reserves and Sites of Special Scientific Interest are looked after and improved.
– We work to ensure that Englands landscapes are effectively protected, designating Englands National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Marine Conservation Zones, and advising widely on their conservation.
– We run Environmental Stewardship and other green farming schemes that deliver over 400 million a year to farmers and landowners, enabling them to enhance the natural environment across two thirds of Englands farmland.
– We fund, manage, and provide scientific expertise for hundreds of conservation projects each year, improving the prospects for thousands of Englands species and habitats.
– We promote access to the wider countryside, helping establish National Trails and coastal trails and ensuring that the public can enjoy and benefit from them.