Listed buildings

Background

Listed buildings are so called because they are on a list called the Statutory List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. The creation of this list was prompted by damage to buildings in the Second World War. For a building to be included, it must be a man-made structure that survives in something at least approaching its original state. Most structures on the list are buildings, but other structures such as bridges, monuments, sculptures, war memorials, and even milestones and mileposts may also be listed.
There are around listed 500,000 buildings in the UK. The mid to late 1980s saw the largest number of buildings added to the list, with over 36,000 being added in 1987 alone. In 2009 the number added was just 632. Buildings continue to be added to the lists as they are identified and become eligible.

A listed building may not be demolished, extended or altered without special permission from the local planning authority. All buildings built before 1700 which survive in anything like their original condition are listed, as are most of those built between 1700 and 1840. A building has normally to be over 30 years old to be eligible for listing.
In England and Wales, there are three grades: Grade I, Grade II* and Grade II. Owners of listed buildings are compelled to repair and maintain them. They may face criminal prosecution if they fail to do so or if they perform unauthorised alterations.

What records are there and what information will they contain?

The following websites give detailed information about listed buildings and their history

• https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/
• www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/
• www.heritagegateway.org.uk/gateway/
• https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/archive/history/images-of-england//

How to find the records

Several different types of records can be used to research the history of a listed building. The help and guidance on our website about researching the history of a house will be a useful starting point. 
To search our collections please use our online catalogue. There are Help pages and FAQs to make sure you get the best results. Or you can watch our YouTube tutorial here.
Please note that not all our records are indexed by property. This includes maps, directories, some planning records and much more. So if a search by property name doesn’t bring up any results, this does not necessarily mean that we do not hold any relevant records. Please contact us if you need advice.