Listed Buildings

Listing helps us acknowledge and understand our shared history.  It marks and celebrates a building's special architectural and historic interest, and also brings it under the consideration of the planning system so that some thought will be taken about its future.

• Grade I buildings are of exceptional interest, sometimes considered to be internationally important. Just 2.5% of listed buildings are Grade I.
• Grade II* buildings are particularly important buildings of more than special interest. 5.5% of listed buildings are Grade II*.
• Grade II buildings are nationally important and of special interest. 92% of all listed buildings are in this class and it is the most likely grade of listing for a home owner.

The older a building is, the more likely it is to be listed

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. The criteria become tighter with time, so that post-1945 buildings have to be exceptionally important to be listed. A building has normally to be over 30 years old to be eligible for listing.

In England there are approximately 372,905 listed building entries.

(An entry can sometimes include more than one building – such as a terrace)

There are also:

• 19,446 scheduled ancient monuments 
• 1,563  registered historic parks and gardens
• 9,080 conservation areas 
• 43 registered historic battlefields
• 39 designated wrecks
• 15 World Heritage Sites

What are the consequences of listing?

Belsay Hall, Northumberland, Grade I Listing is not a preservation order, preventing change. Listing is an identification stage where buildings are marked and celebrated as having exceptional architectural or historic special interest, before any planning stage which may decide a building's future. 

Listing does not freeze a building in time, it simply means that listed building consent must be applied for in order to make any changes to that building which might affect its special interest.  Listed buildings can be altered, extended and sometimes even demolished within government planning guidance. The local authority uses listed building consent to make decisions that balance the site's historic significance against other issues such as its function, condition or viability. Find out more from our Planning Advice page.

What can I do with my listed building?

Planning information on making changes to listed buildings and links to grant information is available at What can I do with my listed building?

How do I find out if my property is listed?

Radar Training Station, Lancs, Grade II You can find out whether your property is listed by contacting your local authority. Local authorities will also be able to tell you whether somewhere is a conservation area. The Battlefield Register is online if you would like to find out if a battlefield is registered. For information about registered parks and landscapes or any general request for more information, call our National Monuments Record enquiry and research services on 01793 414 600 or contact nmrinfo@english-heritage.org.uk.

Can I see the lists?

Hammersmith Bridge, London, Grade II* You can see local lists and obtain copies of individual entries at your local council planning department, county council offices and most local reference libraries. A complete set of lists for the whole country is available for inspection at the National Monuments Record, Kemble Drive, Swindon SN2 2GZ.

Listed Buildings Online provides up-to-date access to the statutory Lists of Buildings of Special Architectural and Historic Interest and is made available by English Heritage and the DCMS. We are working to create a version that the public will be able to use but this site is currently only available to the staff of Local Planning Authorities, National Amenity Societies and some other authorised government agencies. 

Images of England is a 'point in time' photographic library of England's listed buildings, recorded at the turn of the 21st century.  You can view over 300,000 images of England's built heritage from lamp posts to lavatories, phone boxes to toll booths, mile stones to gravestones, as well as thousands of bridges, historic houses and churches.