Listing term used to describe one of the procedures to protect our built heritage.

When buildings are listed they are placed on statutory lists of buildings of 'special architectural or historic interest' under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990.

Listing ensures that the architectural and historic interest of the building is carefully considered before any alterations, either outside or inside, are agreed.

Listed buildings are graded to show their relative importance:

Grade I buildings are those of exceptional interest.
Grade II* are particularly important buildings of more than special interest.
Grade II are of special interest, warranting every effort to preserve them.

All listed buildings are important to the nation's heritage as well as at local and regional levels.

Scheduled Monuments

Some listed buildings are also Scheduled Monuments.

These are nationally important sites and monuments which have been given legal protection.

There are over 200 'classes' of Scheduled Monuments ranging from prehistoric standing stones and burial mounds, through the many types of medieval site: castles, monasteries, abandoned farmsteads and villages to the more recent results of human activity, such as collieries and wartime pillboxes.

For further information see the Historic England Website.