Advice for Monument Owners

If you are the owner of a Scheduled Monument, the Department’s Historic Environment Division can answer any queries you may have on how this affects you and your monument. The local Field Monument Warden will be able to visit and offer you advice on how best to manage your site, or advise on any works which might require Scheduled Monument Consent.

Please contact us if you wish to discuss any aspect of your monument, or to arrange a visit;

• Historic Environment contacts

Further advice on Scheduled Historic Monuments is available online;

• Guidance on scheduled historic monuments in Northern Ireland

Looking after Monuments on Farmland

The vast majority of historic monuments in Northern Ireland are located on privately-owned farmland. The Department works closely with the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and landowners to provide information and ensure that these sites are preserved for future generations.

Often just a little bit of basic care, such as restricting grazing or keeping scrub and trees under control, is all that is needed to keep a monument in good condition.

Advice for farmers and other owners of monuments in rural settings is available online;

• Protecting Historic Monuments on Farmland

If you participate in a DAERA agri-environment scheme you are required to comply with a set of Statutory Management Requirements (SMRs) and must keep your land in Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) in order to qualify for full payments. Your local Countryside Management Branch should be able to advise you on this.

Looking after Masonry Monuments

Masonry monuments, such as the ruins of castles or churches, can have a whole range of problems. Ivy growth is one of the most common, and if left unchecked can eventually lead to the collapse of a ruin.

Detailed guidance on how best to tackle this problem is available online;

• Dealing with vegetation on historic masonry monuments

Once vegetation has been cleared from a ruin it is often necessary to carry out remedial conservation works.

We would strongly recommend contacting us for detailed advice well before starting any work, including vegetation clearance. This is particularly important if the ruin is a Scheduled Monument, as Scheduled Monument Consent may well be required.

Detailed guidance is available in the document;

• Conservation of Scheduled Masonry Monuments.

A Management Agreement may be available to help with the costs of work to masonry monuments.