Stonehenge is part of the Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites UNESCO World Heritage Site

There are 28 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the United Kingdom.^[1] The countries of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales together form the country and sovereign state of the United Kingdom. The UK is also responsible for the governance of 12 overseas territories, although they are not constitutionally part of the UK.^[2] The constitution of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (commonly referred to as UNESCO) was ratified in 1946 by 26 countries, including the UK. Its purpose was to provide for the "conservation and protection of the world’s inheritance of books, works of art and monuments of history and science".^[3] The UK contributes £130,000 annually to the World Heritage Fund which finances the preservation of sites in developing countries.^[4]

The UNESCO list contains seventeen designated properties in England (the Frontiers of the Roman Empire is shared with Germany), four in Scotland, three in Wales, one in Northern Ireland, and one in each of the overseas territories of Bermuda, the Pitcairn Islands, and Saint Helena. Some designated properties contain multiple sites that share a common geographical location or cultural heritage. World Heritage Site selection criteria i–iv are culturally related, and selection criteria vii–x are the natural criteria.^[5] The first sites in the UK to be inscribed on the World Heritage List were Giant's Causeway and Causeway Coast; Durham Castle and Cathedral; Ironbridge Gorge; Studley Royal Park including the Ruins of Fountains Abbey; Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites; and the Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd in 1986. The latest site to be inscribed was Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal in 2009.^[6] The United Kingdom National Commission for UNESCO advises the British government, which is responsible for maintaining its World Heritage Sites, on policies regarding UNESCO.^[7] In 2008, Andy Burnham – then Minister for Culture, Media, and Sport – voiced concerns over the worth of the designation of sites in the UK as World Heritage Sites and called for a review of the government's policy of putting forward new sites; this was partly due to rising costs and lower than expected income from visitors, few of which were aware of the World Heritage Site status of the sites they visited.^[8]

Twenty-three properties are designated as "cultural", four as "natural", and one as "mixed".^{[note 1][1]} The breakdown of sites by type was similar to the overall proportions; of the 890 sites on the World Heritage List, 77.4% are cultural, 19.8% are natural, and 2.8% are mixed.^[9] St Kilda, Scotland, is the UK's only mixed WHS. Originally preserved for its natural habitats alone,^[10] in 2005 the site was expanded to include the crofting community that once inhabited the archipelago; the site became one of only 25 mixed sites worldwide.^[11] The natural sites are the Dorset and East Devon Coast; Giant's Causeway and Causeway Coast; Gough and Inaccessible Islands; and Henderson Island. The rest are cultural.^[1]

[edit] World Heritage Sites

The names in the tables below are the names of the properties as used on the website of UNESCO.^[9]

Name	Image	Location	Country	Date	UNESCO data[note 2]	Description	Ref(s)
Blaenavon Industrial Landscape		Blaenavon, Gwent 51°47′N 3°05′W / 51.78°N 3.08°W / 51.78; -3.08 (Blaenavon Industrial Landscape)	Wales	19th century	0984 984; 2000; iii, iv	In the 19th century, Wales was the world's foremost producer of iron and coal. Blaenavon is an example of the landscape created by the industrial processes associated with the production of these materials. The site includes quarries, public buildings, workers' housing, and a railway.	[12]
Blenheim Palace		Woodstock, Oxfordshire 51°50′31″N 1°21′41″W / 51.841944°N 1.361389°W / 51.841944; -1.361389 (Bleheim Palace)	England	1705–1722	0425 425; 1987; ii, iv	Blenheim Palace – the residence of the John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough – was designed by architects John Vanbrugh and Nicholas Hawksmoor; the associated park was landscaped by Capability Brown. The palace celebrated victory over the French and is significant for establishing English Romantic Architecture as a separate entity from French Classical Architecture.	[13]
Canterbury Cathedral, St Augustine's Abbey, and St Martin's Church		Canterbury, Kent 51°16′48″N 1°05′00″W / 51.28°N 1.083333°W / 51.28; -1.083333 (Canterbury Cathedral, St Augustine's Abbey, and St Martin's Church)	England	11th century	0496 496; 1988; i, ii, vi	St Martin's Church is the oldest church in England. The church and St Augustine's Abbey were founded during the early stages of the introduction of Christianity to the Anglo-Saxons. The cathedral exhibits Romanesque and Gothic architecture, and is the seat of the Church of England.	[14][15][16]
Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd		Conwy, Isle of Anglesey and Gwynedd 53°08′23″N 4°16′37″W / 53.139722°N 4.276944°W / 53.139722; -4.276944 (Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd)	Wales	13th–14th century	0374 374; 1986; i, iii, iv	During the reign of Edward I (1272–1307), a series of castles were constructed in Wales with the purpose of subduing the population and establishing English colonies in Wales. The World Heritage Site covers many castles including Beaumaris, Caernarfon, Conwy, and Harlech. The castles of Edward I are considered the pinnacle of military architecture by military historians.[17]	[18]
City of Bath		Bath, Somerset 51°22′51″N 2°21′37″W / 51.3809°N 2.3603°W / 51.3809; -2.3603 (City of Bath)	England	1st–19th century	0428 428; 1987; i, ii, iv	Founded by the Romans as a spa, an important centre of the wool industry in the medieval period, and a spa town in the 18th century, Bath has a varied history. The city is preserved for its Roman remains and Palladian architecture.	[19]
Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape		Cornwall and Devon 50°08′10″N 5°23′01″W / 50.136111°N 5.383611°W / 50.136111; -5.383611 (Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape)	England	18th and 19th centuries	1215 1215; 2006; ii, iii, iv	Tin and copper mining in Devon and Cornwall boomed in the 18th and 19th centuries, and at its peak the area produced two-thirds of the world's copper. The techniques and technology involved in deep mining developed in Devon and Cornwall were used around the world.	[20]
Derwent Valley Mills		Derwent Valley, Derbyshire 53°01′13″N 1°29′59″W / 53.020278°N 1.499722°W / 53.020278; -1.499722 (Derwent Valley Mills)	England	18th and 19th centuries	1030 1030; 2001; ii, iv	The Derwent Valley Mills was the birthplace of the factory system; the innovations in the valley, including the development of workers' housing – such as at Cromford – and machines such as the water frame, were important in the Industrial Revolution. The Derwent Valley Mills influenced North America and Europe.	[21][22]
Dorset and East Devon Coast		Dorset and Devon 50°42′20″N 2°59′24″W / 50.705556°N 2.989889°W / 50.705556; -2.989889 (Dorset and East Devon Coast)	England	n/a	1029 1029; 2001; viii	The cliffs that make up the Dorset and Devon coast are an important site for fossils and provide a continuous record of life on land and in the sea in the area since 185 million years ago.	[23]
Durham Castle and Cathedral		Durham, County Durham 54°46′30″N 1°34′32″W / 54.77487°N 1.57558°W / 54.77487; -1.57558 (Durham Castle and Cathedral)	England	11th and 12th centuries	0370 370; 1986; ii, iv, vi	Durham Cathedral is the "largest and finest" example of Norman architecture in England and vaulting of the cathedral was part of the advent of Gothic architecture. The cathedral houses relics of St Cuthbert and Bede. The Norman castle was the residence of the Durham prince-bishops.	[24]
Frontiers of the Roman Empire		Northern England and southern Scotland 54°59′33″N 2°36′04″W / 54.992611°N 2.601°W / 54.992611; -2.601 (Frontiers of the Roman Empire)	England and Scotland	2nd century	0430 430; 1987 (modified in 2005 and 2008); ii, iii, iv	Hadrian's Wall was built in 122 AD and the Antonine Wall was constructed in 142 AD to defend the Roman Empire from "barbarians". The World Heritage Site was previously listed as Hadrian's Wall alone, but was later expanded to include all the frontiers of the Roman Empire at its zenith in the 2nd century, ranging from Antonine's Wall in the north to Trajan's Wall in eastern Europe.	[9][25]
Giant's Causeway and Causeway Coast		County Antrim 55°14′27″N 6°30′42″W / 55.240833°N 6.511667°W / 55.240833; -6.511667 (Giant's Causeway and Causeway Coast)	Northern Ireland	60–50 million years ago	0369 369; 1986; vii, viii	The causeway is made up of 40,000 basalt columns projecting out of the sea. It was created by volcanic activity in the Tertiary period.	[26]
Gough and Inaccessible Island		Tristan da Cunha, South Atlantic Ocean 40°19′05″S 9°56′07″W / 40.3181°S 9.9353°W / -40.3181; -9.9353 (Gough and Inaccessible Island)	Saint Helena	n/a	0740 740; 1995 (modified in 2004); vii, x	Together, the Gough and Inaccessible Islands preserve an ecosystem almost untouched by mankind, with many native species of plants and animals.	[27]
Heart of Neolithic Orkney		Orkney 58°59′46″N 3°11′19″W / 58.996056°N 3.188667°W / 58.996056; -3.188667 (Heart of Historic Orkney)	Scotland	3rd millennium BC	0514 514; 1999; i, ii, iii, iv	A collection of Neolithic sites with purposes ranging from occupation to ceremony. It includes the settlement of Skara Brae, the chambered tomb of Maes Howe and the stone circles of Stenness and Brodgar.	[28]
Henderson Island		Henderson Island, Pitcairn Islands, Pacific Ocean 24°21′00″S 128°19′00″W / 24.35°S 128.316667°W / -24.35; -128.316667 (Henderson Island)	Pitcairn Islands	n/a	0487 487; 1988; vii, x	The island is an atoll in the south of the Pacific Ocean, the ecology of which has been almost untouched by man and its isolation illustrates the dynamics of evolution. There are ten plant and four animal species native to the island.	[29]
Historic Town of St George and Related Fortifications, Bermuda		St George, Bermuda 51°22′51″N 2°21′37″W / 51.3809°N 2.3603°W / 51.3809; -2.3603 (City of Bath)	Bermuda	17th–20th centuries	0983 983; 2000; iv	Founded in 1612, St George is the oldest English town in the New World and an example of planned urban settlements established in the New World in the 17th century by colonial powers. The fortifications illustrate defensive techniques developed through the 17th to 20th centuries.	[30]
Ironbridge Gorge		Ironbridge, Shropshire 52°37′35″N 2°29′10″W / 52.62646°N 2.486°W / 52.62646; -2.486 (Ironbridge Gorge)	England	18th century	0371 371; 1986; i, ii, iv, vi	Ironbridge Gorge contains mines, factories, workers' housing, and the transport infrastructure that was created in the gorge during the Industrial Revolution. The development of coke production in the area helped start the Industrial Revolution. The Iron Bridge was the world's first bridge built from iron and was architecturally and technologically influential.	[31]
Liverpool – Maritime Mercantile City		Liverpool, Merseyside 53°24′N 2°59′W / 53.40°N 2.99°W / 53.40; -2.99 (Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City)	England	18th and 19th centuries	1150 1150; 2004; ii, iii, iv	In the 18th and 19th centuries, Liverpool was one of the largest ports in the world. Its global connections helped sustain the British Empire, and it was a major port involved in the slave trade until its abolition in 1807, and a departure point for emigrants to North America. The docks were the site of innovations in construction and dock management.	[32]
Maritime Greenwich		Greenwich, London, Greater London 51°28′45″N 0°00′00″E / 51.4791°N 0°E / 51.4791; 0 (Maritime Greenwich)	England	17th and 18th centuries	0795 795; 1997; i, ii, iv, vi	As well as the presence of the first example of Palladian architecture in England, and works by Christopher Wren and Inigo Jones, the area is significant for the Royal Observatory where the understanding of astronomy and navigation were developed.	[33]
New Lanark		New Lanark, South Lanarkshire 55°40′N 3°47′W / 55.66°N 3.78°W / 55.66; -3.78 (New Lanark)	Scotland	19th century	0429 429; 2001; ii, iv, vi	Prompted by Richard Arkwright's factory system developed in the Derwent Valley, the community of New Lanark was created to provide housing for workers at the mills. Philanthropist Robert Owen bought the site and turned it into a model community, providing public facilities, education, and supporting factory reform.	[34]
Old and New Towns of Edinburgh		Edinburgh 55°56′51″N 3°11′30″W / 55.947572°N 3.191631°W / 55.947572; -3.191631 (Old and New Town of Edinburgh)	Scotland	11th–19th century	0728 728; 1995; ii, iv	The Old Town of Edinburgh was founded in the Middle Ages, and the New Town was developed in 1767–1890. It contrasts the layout of settlements in the medieval and modern periods. The layout and architecture of the new town, designed by luminaries such as William Chambers and William Playfair, influenced European urban design in the 18th and 19th centuries.	[35]
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal		Trevor, Wrexham 52°58′14″N 3°05′16″W / 52.97053°N 3.08783°W / 52.97053; -3.08783 (Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal)	Wales/England	1795–1805	1303 1303; 2009; i, ii, iv	The aqueduct was built to carry the Ellesmere Canal over the Dee Valley. Completed during the Industrial Revolution and designed by Thomas Telford, the aqueduct made innovative use of cast and wrought iron, influencing civil engineering across the world.	[36][37]
Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew		Kew, Greater London 51°28′29″N 0°17′44″W / 51.474667°N 0.295467°W / 51.474667; -0.295467 (Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew)	England	18th–20th century	1084 1084; 2003; ii, iii, iv	Created in 1759, the influential Kew Gardens were designed by Charles Bridgeman, William Kent, Capability Brown, and William Chambers. The gardens were used to study botany and ecology and furthered the understanding of the subjects.	[38]
St Kilda		St Kilda 57°49′00″N 8°35′00″W / 57.816667°N 8.583333°W / 57.816667; -8.583333 (St Kilda)	Scotland	n/a	0387 387; 1987 (modified in 2005 and 2008); ii, iii, iv	Although inhabited for over 2,000 years, the isolated archipelago of St Kilda has had no permanent residents since 1930. The islands' human heritage includes various unique architectural features from the historic and prehistoric periods. St Kilda is also a breeding ground for many important seabird species including the world's largest colony of gannets and up to 136,000 pairs of puffins.	[39][40]
Saltaire		Saltaire, City of Bradford, West Yorkshire 53°50′14″N 1°47′25″W / 53.83717°N 1.79026°W / 53.83717; -1.79026 (Saltaire)	England	1853	1028 1028; 2001; ii, iv	Saltaire was founded by mill-owner Titus Salt as a model village for his workers. The site, which includes the Salts Mill, featured public buildings for the inhabitants and was an example of 19th century paternalism.	[41]
Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites		Wiltshire 51°10′44″N 1°49′31″W / 51.178889°N 1.825278°W / 51.178889; -1.825278 (Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites)	England	4th–2nd millennia BC	0373 373; 1986 (modified in 2008); i, ii, iii	The Neolithic sites of Avebury and Stonehenge are two of the largest and most famous megalithic monuments in the world. They relate to man's interaction with his environment. The purpose of the henges has been a source of speculation, with suggestions ranging from ceremonial to interpreting the cosmos. "Associated sites" includes Silbury Hill, Beckhampton Avenue, and West Kennet Avenue.	[42]
Studley Royal Park including the Ruins of Fountains Abbey		North Yorkshire 54°06′58″N 1°34′23″W / 54.116111°N 1.573056°W / 54.116111; -1.573056 (Studley Royal Park including the Ruins of Fountains Abbey)	England	1132 (abbey), 19th century (park)	0372 372; 1986; i, iv	Before the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the mid-16th century, Fountains Abbey was one of the largest and richest Cistercian abbeys in Britain and is one of only a few that survives from the 12th century. The later garden, which incorporates the abbey, survives to a large extent in its original design and influenced garden design in Europe.	[43]
Tower of London		Tower Hamlets, Greater London 51°30′29″N 0°04′34″W / 51.508056°N 0.076111°W / 51.508056; -0.076111 (Tower of London)	England	11th century	0488 488; 1988; ii, iv	Begun by William the Conqueror in 1066 during the Norman conquest of England, the Tower of London is a symbol of power and an example of Norman military architecture that spread across England. Additions were made by Henry III and Edward I in the 13th century made the castle one of the most influential buildings of its kind in England.	[44]
Westminster Palace, Westminster Abbey and Saint Margaret's Church		Westminster, Greater London 51°29′59″N 0°07′43″W / 51.499722°N 0.128611°W / 51.499722; -0.128611 (Westminster Palace, Westminster Abbey and Saint Margaret's Church)	England	10th, 11th, and 19th centuries	0426 426; 1987 (modified in 2008); i, ii, iv	The site has been involved in the administration of England since the 11th century, and later the United Kingdom. Since the coronation of William the Conqueror, all English and British monarchs have been crowned at Westminster Abbey. Westminster Palace, home to the British Parliament, is an example of Gothic Revival architecture; St Margaret's Church is the palace's parish church, and although it pre-dates the palace and was built in the 11th century, it has been rebuilt since.	[45][46][47]

[edit] Tentative list

A "tenative list" is a list of important heritage and natural sites that a state part is considering applying to become World Heritage Sites. It is a prerequisite to becoming a World Heritage Site.^[48] The UK's tentative list of sites was last updated on 19 January 2006. There are 15 properties on the list.^[49]

• Gibraltar defences
• Manchester and Salford (Ancoats, Castlefield and Worsley)
• Monkwearmouth and Jarrow Monastic Sites
• Mount Stewart Gardens
• Shakespeare's Stratford
• The Wash and North Norfolk Coast

Name	Image	Location	Country	Date	UNESCO data[note 3]	Description	Ref(s)
Cairngorm Mountains		Scottish Highlands 57°06′45″N 3°38′08″W / 57.1125°N 3.635556°W / 57.1125; -3.635556 (Cairngorm Mountains)	Scotland	n/a	1322; 1999; vii, viii, ix	Although the Cairngorm Mountains include some of the highest peaks in Scotland and the largest area of land above 1,000 ft (300 m), the proposed site includes varied habitats including glens and moors.	[50]
Chatham Naval Dockyard		Chatham, Kent 51°23′53″N 0°32′20″W / 51.398056°N 0.538889°W / 51.398056; -0.538889 (Chatham Dockyard)	England	n/a	1309; 1999; ii, iii, iv	Chatham Dockyard was used to maintain the Royal Navy – an important aspect of Britain's influence through trade and empire – and has remained almost unchanged since it was founded.	[51][52]
Darwin's Home and Workplace: Down House and Environs		Downe, Greater London 51°20′10″N 0°03′35″E / 51.336111°N 0.059722°E / 51.336111; 0.059722 (Darwin's Home and Workplace: Down House and Environs)	England	18th century	1311; 1999; iii, vi	Charles Darwin lived in Down House from 1842 until his death in 1882; in it, he wrote The Origin of Species. Today the building houses a museum.	[53][54]
The Flow Country		Caithness and Sutherland 58°20′53″N 4°00′33″W / 58.348056°N 4.009167°W / 58.348056; -4.009167 (Flow Country)	Scotland	n/a	1323; 1999; x	The Flow Country is the largest area of peat bog in the world. Supporting a varied ecosystem, the area is the habitat of many rare species of bird.	[50]
The Forth Railway Bridge		Between Edinburgh and Fife 56°00′04″N 3°23′23″W / 56.001111°N 3.389722°W / 56.001111; -3.389722 (Forth Railway Bridge)	Scotland	19th century	1324; 1999; i, ii, iv	The Forth Bridge provides rail links between Edinburgh and Fife; spanning the River Forth, it was the first major bridge in Europe to be constructed of steel. It has been described as "the one internationally recognised Scottish landmark".	[55][56]
Foundation Cavern, Anguilla		Anguilla 18°14′48″N 63°01′58″W / 18.246667°N 63.032778°W / 18.246667; -63.032778 (Foundations Cavern, Anguilla)	Anguilla	n/a	1328; 1999; i, ii, iii	The focus of National Park, Foundation Cavern is considered the most important archaeological site in Anguilla. The limestone cavern contains Amerindian glyphs carved into the rock.	[57]
Great Western Railway: Paddington–Bristol (selected parts)		London, Greater London, to Bristol 50°52′43″N 1°36′01″W / 50.878611°N 1.600278°W / 50.878611; -1.600278 (Great Western Railway: Paddington-Bristol)	England	n/a	1319; 1999; i, ii, iv, vi	Designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and fully opened in 1841, the Great Western Railway ran from London in the east to Bristol in the west. Most of the railway and its structures are still in use today. Five parts of the railway are proposed: Paddington station, Temple Meads station, the line of bridges over Bristol Harbour, the Box Tunnel, and sections of the line in Bath and Swindon.	[58]
Lake District		Cumbria 55°01′09″N 3°14′14″W / 55.019167°N 3.237222°W / 55.019167; -3.237222 (Lake District)	England	n/a	703; 1996; –[note 4]	Covering an area of 2,280 square kilometres (880 sq mi), the mountainous region has many lakes and a varied ecosystem. The landscape has inspired the works of William Wordsworth and the Lake Poets.	[59]
New Forest		Hampshire and Wiltshire 50°52′43″N 1°36′01″W / 50.878611°N 1.600278°W / 50.878611; -1.600278 (New Forest)	England	n/a	1318; 1999; –[note 5]	The New Forest has both a rich natural history and its archaeological record bears testament to the human intervention in the area for thousands of years. The area has been used as a hunting ground and to provide timber for the Royal Navy.	[60]

[edit] See also

• List of World Heritage Sites in Europe
• World Heritage Sites in Scotland

[edit] Notes

[edit] References

Notes

Biliography

[edit] External links

• UNESCO site
• UK World Heritage Sites DCMS portal

v • d • e World Heritage Sites in the United Kingdom England Frontiers of the Roman Empire (Hadrian's Wall) · Blenheim Palace · Canterbury Cathedral, St. Augustine's Abbey and St. Martin's Church · Bath · Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape · Derwent Valley Mills · Durham Castle and Cathedral · Ironbridge Gorge · Jurassic Coast · Kew Gardens · Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City · Maritime Greenwich · Westminster Palace, Westminster Abbey and St. Margaret's Church · Saltaire · Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites · Studley Royal Park and Fountains Abbey · Tower of London Scotland Frontiers of the Roman Empire (Antonine Wall) · Edinburgh Old Town and New Town · Heart of Neolithic Orkney · New Lanark · St. Kilda Wales Castles and Town Walls of King Edward I in Gwynedd · Blaenavon Industrial Landscape · Pontcysyllte Aqueduct Northern Ireland Giant's Causeway