What is a Scheduled Monument?
A Scheduled Monument is a nationally important archaeological site which is therefore considered to be a 'designated heritage asset'. In plain terms, it is broadly considered to be the equivalent of the national protection afforded to listed buildings - but in this case, for archaeological remains. Scheduling affects both buried below-ground remains and standing structures or ruins. However, it is not uncommon for a site to be designated as both a Scheduled Monument and Listed Building. Historic England currently state that there are almost 20,000 Scheduled Monument entries in the UK.
When was Scheduling first introduced?
According to Historic England, Scheduling was introduced in 1913. However, it arguably originated in 1882 when the Ancient Monuments Protection Act was introduced. This act mentioned the term 'schedule' relating to the compilation of a list of predominantly prehistoric monuments worthy of state protection.
What is the purpose of scheduling?
A publication in 2013 by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) details the criteria for scheduling, which states that these monuments are selected on the basis of their archaeological or historical interest. Importantly for developers, it is also highlighted that management needs must be considered in this decision. Scheduling is ultimately decided by the Secretary of State, and the designation of these assets is largely implemented to ensure the asset's conservation both in the present day, as well as for future generations. The general consensus is that these sites must be maintained in the same, if not better condition for future generations.
How can I find out if my site is a Scheduled Monument?
A public record of the Scheduled Monument database is maintained on the National Heritage List for England. This database is also used to search for listed buildings, in addition to other designated heritage assets known as registered parks and gardens, protected wreck sites, and registered battlefields. These records are organised according to the asset's listing number.
Can I make changes to a Scheduled Monument?
Some changes to, or affecting, a scheduled monument are possible. However, any proposed invasive interventions will require a Scheduled Monument Consent application to carry out such works. Planning permission is also required in many cases. Such applications are often filed simultaneously in parallel to one another.
Works requiring consent are defined in the 1979 Act as demolishing, destroying, damaging, removing, repairing, altering, adding to, flooding, or tipping material onto the monument. However, Historic England also encourage applicants to consult them for advice in the early stages of the planning process, and have also produced a useful guidance document for owners of Scheduled Monuments. In an SMC application to the Secretary of State, the applicant will face the presumption in favour of the conservation of the scheduled monument which is written into national policy - known as the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act of 1979, which outlines duty of the Secretary of State to conserve these monuments of national importance.
Why do I need a Heritage Consultant?
As Heritage Consultants, we conduct scoping assessments and impact assessments to determine whether a proposed development can be considered to remain sensitive to a scheduled monument located either in the vicinity or directly within the boundary of a Scheduled Monument. It is vital that any proposed works are heritage-led in order to ensure that they can be considered to conserve nationally-protected archaeological sites. Blue Willow Heritage provide design advice throughout the planning process, with the option of producing a 'Constraints and Opportunities' document to inform the design of the scheme.
Should the development be considered viable, our team has facilitated the application for Scheduled Monument Consent in conjunction with the standard planning application to the local council accompanied by a Heritage Statement or Desk Based Assessment, depending on the nature of the proposed works. On the other hand, our team is also involved in recommending appropriate schemes of future work and conservation measures for archaeological sites, including on an informal basis and as part of wider Conservation Management Plans.
Case Studies
Desk-Based Research for Existing Householder Developments
We are currently involved with several householder development and extension projects located in close proximity to Cistercian abbeys in Northumberland and North Yorkshire. Our expert team has been tasked with determining the extent of the archaeological evidence, given that features often extend beyond the boundary of the Scheduled Monument and can still be considered worthy of protection, even if they are not designated heritage assets. The most important task conducted as part of our research is a thorough assessment of LiDAR data, including the creation of multidirectional hillshades to pinpoint the location of any earthworks. Consulting existing research is also absolutely vital. However, it is worth remembering that such fieldwork is an 'interpretation' of the archaeological evidence and cannot be considered a metrically-perfect record of the extent of any earthworks.
One of our recent projects has involved examining a previous Level 3 earthwork survey which had been conducted on a Scheduled Monument. From the analysis of LiDAR data together with cartographic sources, an area of truncation within a historic moat identified - something which had not been captured in the original survey. Such occurrences can add weight to a proposed development within a Scheduled Monument due to the fact that the earthwork has already been subject to disturbance, alongside pinpointing any areas where future research undertaken via excavation may be more beneficial for the scheduled monument than not.
Our reports include recommendations for archaeological mitigation which aim to be scalable to the importance of the remains encountered - whether it be a watching brief, archaeological evaluation, or strip map and record excavation. Whilst some of these projects have required Scheduled Monument Consent, other schemes which do not directly infringe upon the monument boundary (even where part of the site falls within it) have only required a Heritage Impact Assessments - including the assessment of archaeological impact.
Scheduled Monument Consent and Watching Briefs
Our team has also successfully gained Scheduled Monument Consent for several other development projects - including development on Greenfield sites, which are often required to be accompanied by archaeological investigation. One of our successful projects has included a scheme of works involving the laying of a new access road in a scheduled monument pertaining to a Late Iron Age Oppidum. The site was required to undertake a soil pressure test to evaluate the load-bearing capacity of the ground to determine the impact to any buried archaeological remains associated with the rampart earthworks. Our team conducted the Watching Brief for these works and produced the following archaeological report on the results of the works, which was subsequently uploaded to OASIS for archiving.
Renegotiating Archaeological Conditions
Another project has seen our team successfully renegotiate the archaeological conditions imposed on a proposed development on a greenfield site in Derbyshire which was in close proximity to a Scheduled Monument pertaining to a section of Roman road.
The Blue Willow team work with scheduled monuments of all shapes and sizes, from Bronze Age barrows to medieval abbeys. If you have a question about looking after a scheduled monument, applying for scheduled monument consent (SMC), or require further guidance, feel free to get in touch.
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