The Ancient Monuments Protection Act 1882 (45 & 46 Vict. c. 73) was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was introduced by John Lubbock, 1st Baron Avebury, recognising the need for a governmental administration on the protection of ancient monuments, and was finally passed after a number of failed attempts on heritage protection acts. The gradual change towards a state-based authority responsible for the safeguarding of the Kingdom's national heritage manifested itself through the appointment of the first Inspector of Ancient Monuments in 1882, General Pitt Rivers.
Development of the legislation According to Halfin, "Lubbock's Bill came at a time when England was among the last of the European nations to be completely without protective legislation for cultural property. Many of his ideas were borrowed from a long history of royal and aristocratic interest in preservation that was prevalent in Europe during the nineteenth century. In particular, Lubbock was strongly influenced by the Abbé Gregoire, who had so successfully championed the cause of cultural preservation in France."
The first introduction of the bill in 1873 was controversial because it envisioned the government being able to compulsorily purchase monuments on privately owned land if the owner decided to develop the land. By the Act's passage in 1882, these provisions had been removed from the bill.
The schedule
The act contains a schedule of the initial 68 sites that were covered by the legislation. These are almost all pre-historic monuments, some of the most famous such sites in the country among them, alongside some that were felt to be at particular risk at the time.
England and Wales There were 26 English sites listed in the schedule, in just 10 counties, including seven sites in Wiltshire. Welsh monuments were represented by one site in each of north, south and west Wales. (Includes the full text of the 1882 Act.) Site name1882 descriptionSite typePeriod LocationPlas Newydd Burial ChambersThe tumulus and dolmen, Plas Newydd, Llandedwen, Anglesea.Chambered tombNeolithicWayland's SmithyThe tumulus known as Wayland Smith's Forge, Ashbury, Berkshire.Long barrowNeolithicUffington CastleUffington Castle, Uffington, Berkshire.HillfortIron AgeLong Meg and Her DaughtersThe stone circle known as Long Meg and her Daughters, near Penrith, Addingham, Cumberland.Stone circleBronze AgeCastlerigg stone circleThe stone circle on Castle Rigg, near Keswick, Crosthwaite, Cumberland.Stone circleLate NeolithicLow Longrigg stone circlesThe stone circles on Burn Moor, St. Bees, Cumberland.Five stone circlesBronze AgeNine LadiesThe stone circle known as The Nine Ladies, Stanton Moor, Bakewell, Derbyshire.Stone circleBronze AgeArbor LowThe tumulus known as Arborlow, Bakewell, Derbyshire.HengeNeolithicHob Hurst's HouseHob Hurst's House and Hut, Baslow Moor. Bakewell, Derbyshire.Round barrowBronze AgeMinninglowMinning Low, Brassington, Derbyshire.Round barrowNeolithicArthur's StoneArthur's Quoit, Gower, Llanridian, Glamorganshire.Chambered tombNeolithicUley Long BarrowThe tumulus at Uley, Gloucestershire.Long barrowNeolithicKit's Coty HouseKits Coty House, Aylesford, Kent.Long barrowNeolithicHunsbury HillDanes Camp, Hardingstone, Northamptonshire.HillfortIron AgeCastle Dykes EnclosureCastle Dykes, Farthingston, Northamptonshire.Hillfort enclosureIron Age to RomanRollright StonesThe Rollrich Stones, Little Rollright, Oxfordshire.MegalithsNeolithic and Bronze AgePentre IfanThe Pentre Evan Cromlech, Nevern, Pembrokeshire.Chambered tombNeolithicStanton Drew stone circlesThe ancient stones at Stanton Drew, Somersetshire.Two stone circlesNeolithicStoney Littleton Long BarrowThe chambered tumulus at Stoney Littleton, Wellow, Somersetshire.Chambered tombNeolithicCadbury CastleCadbury Castle, South Cadbury, Somersetshire.HillfortIron AgeMayburgh HengeMayborough, near Penrith, Barton, Westmoreland.HengeNeolithic or Bronze AgeKing Arthur's Round Table (henge)Arthur's Round Table, Penrith, Barton, Westmoreland.HengeNeolithicStonehengeThe group of stones known as Stonehenge, Amesbury, Wiltshire.HengeBronze AgeOld SarumOld Sarum, Wiltshire.HillfortIron AgeAveburyThe vallum at Abury, the Sarcen stones within the same, those along the Kennet Road, and the group between Abury and Beckhampton, Abury, Wiltshire.HengeNeolithicWest Kennet Long BarrowThe long barrow at West Kennet, near Marlborough, West Kennet, Wiltshire.Long barrowNeolithicSilbury HillSilbury Hill, Abury, Wiltshire.MoundNeolithicThe Devil's DenThe Dolmen (Devil's Den), near Marlborough, Fyfield, Wiltshire.Chambered tombNeolithicBarbury CastleBarbury Castle, Ogboume, St. Andrews, and Swindon, Wiltshire.HillfortIron Age
Scotland The 1882 schedule included 21 monuments, the majority of which are prehistoric sites. Two are Neolithic, five Bronze Age, eight Iron Age and six from early Christian/Pictish periods, although two of the prehistoric stones also have notable early Christian additions. Those sites now in the care of Historic Scotland are indicated with '(HS)'.
Site name1882 descriptionSite typePeriod LocationInverurie Cemetery, four symbol stonesThe Bass of Inverury, Inverurie, Aberdeenshire.Four Pictish Stones9th centuryTap o' Noth, RhynieThe vitrified fort on the Hill of Noath, Rhynie, Aberdeenshire.HillfortIron AgeNewton House, inscribed stone and symbol stoneThe pillar and stone at Newton-in-the-Garioch, Culsalmond, Aberdeenshire.Pictish stones9th centuryEdin's Hall BrochThe circular walled structures called "Edin’s Hall," on Cockburn Law, Dunse, Berwickshire.Broch (HS)Iron AgePalisaded Huts Nr Lauder BarnsThe British walled settlement enclosing huts at Harefaulds in Lauderdale, Lauder, Berwickshire.settlementIron AgeDun DornaigilThe Dun of Dornadilla, Durness, Sutherlandshire.Broch (HS)Iron AgeSueno's StoneThe sculptured stone called Suenos Stone, near Forres, Rafford, Elgin.Standing stone9th centuryDrosten StoneThe cross slab, with inscription, in the churchyard of St. Vigeans, St. Vigeans, Forfarshire.Pictish stone9th centuryCaterthunThe British forts, on the hills, called "The Black and White Catherthuns," Menmuir, Forfarshire.Hillforts (HS)Iron AgeClava cairnsA group of remains and pillars, on a haugh at Clava on the banks of the Nairn, Croy and Dalcross, Inverness.Chamber tomb (HS)Bronze AgeDun Telve and Dun TroddanThe Pictish Towers at Glenelg, Inverness.Brochs (HS)Iron AgeDrumwhirn Cairn and Boreland cairn?The Cairns, with chambers and galleries partially dilapidated, Minnigaff, Kirkcudbrightshire.Chamber tombsBronze AgeCat StaneThe Catstane, an inscribed pillar, Kirkliston, Linlithgow.Inscribed stoneBronze Age & 5th centuryRing of BrodgarThe Ring of Brogar and other stone pillars at Stennis in Orkney, and the neighbouring pillars, Firth and Stennis, Orkney.Henge (HS)NeolithicMaeshoweThe Chambered mound of Maeshowe, Firth and Stennis, Orkney.Chambered cairn (HS)NeolithicCallanish StonesThe stones of Callernish, Uig, Ross.Stone circlesBronze Age & 5th centuryBroch of ClickiminThe Burgh of Clickanim, Sound, Shetland.Broch (HS)Iron AgeBroch of MousaThe Pictish tower at Mousa in Shetland, Dunrossness, Shetland.Broch (HS)Iron Age(now in Whithorn Priory Museum?)The inscribed slab standing on the roadside leading from Wigton to Whithorn and about a mile from Whithorn, Whithorn, Wigtonshire.Inscribed stoneEarly ChristianLaggangairn Standing StonesTwo stones, with incised crosses, on a mound in a field at Laggangairn, New Luce, Wigtonshire.Standing stones (HS)Bronze Age & early ChristianKirkmadrine Early Christian StonesThe pillars at Kirkmadrine, Stoneykirk, Wigtonshire.Inscribed stones (HS)6th century
Ireland In 1882 the whole of Ireland was part of the United Kingdom. Subsequent legislation for Ireland used the terminology of historic monuments, which continues in Northern Ireland. Three sites in the schedule are in what became Northern Ireland, one being in County Armagh and two in County Down. The fifteen sites now in the Republic of Ireland are protected by the National Monuments ServiceNational Monuments database at archaeology.ie and include two world heritage sites. As with England and Wales, the 1882 selection was overwhelmingly those thought to be prehistoric sites, although there is now uncertainty over the age of many sites.
Site name1882 descriptionSite typePeriod LocationNavan FortThe earthen enclosure and mounds called the Navan Fort, Eglish, Armagh.Ceremonial siteIron Age, CelticGlencolumbkille CashelStone monuments and groups of sepulchral cists in Glen Maulin, Glencolumbkille, Banagh, Donegal.Grianan of AileachThe earthen and stone inclosure known as Grimm of Aileach, Burt, West Innishowen, Donegal.Giant's RingThe earthen inclosure and Cromlech called the Giant's Ring near Ballylessan, Drumbo, Upper Castlereagh, Down.Downpatrick Mound of Down?The earthen fort at Downpatrick (Dunkeltair), Leoale, Down.Staigue stone fortStone structure called Staigue Fort, Kilcrogham, Dunkerron, Kerry.RingfortIron AgeGreenmount MotteThe earthen mound at Greenmount, Kilsaren, Ardee, Kerry.Motte over a SouterrainAnglo-Norman and olderBallina megalithic tomb (Dolmen of the Four Maols)The stone monument at Ballyna, Kilmoremoy, Tyrawly, Mayo.Chamber tombBronze AgeGlebe Stone CirclesCairns and stone circles at Moytura, Cong, Kilmaine, Mayo.Stone CirclesBrú na Bóinne (Bend of the Boyne) World heritage siteThe tumuli, New Grange, Knowth and Dowth, Monknewton and Dowth, Upper Slane, Meath.Megalithic complexNeolithicHill of TaraThe earthworks on the hill of Tara, Skreen, Meath.multi-periodTelltownThe earthworks at Teltown (Taltin), Upper Kells, Meath.Bronze AgeHill of WardThe earthworks at Wardstown (Tlaghta), Athboy, Lune, Meath.RingfortIron AgeSlieve na CalliaghThe two central tumuli on the hills called Slieve Na Calliagh, Loughcrew, Fore, Meath.Megalithic complexNeolithicHeapstown CairnThe Cairn at Heapstown, Kilmacallan, Tirerrill, Sligo.Passage tombKnocknarea passage tombs & Medb's CairnSepulchral remains at Carrowmore. The cairn called Miscaun Mave or Knocknarea, Kilmacowen, Curbury, Sligo.Passage tombNeolithicDrumlohan Souterrain & Ogham StonesThe cave containing Ogham inscribed stones at Drumloghan, Stradbally, Decies-without-Drum, Waterford.Hill of Uisneach (Royal sites of Ireland)The stone monument called the Catstone and the cemetery on the hill of Usnagh, Killare, Rathconrath, Westmeath.Royal inauguration site
Subsequent developments The whole act, except the schedule, was repealed by section 24 of, and the second schedule to, the Ancient Monuments Consolidation and Amendment Act 1913 (3 & 4 Geo. 5. c. 32), which came into force on 15 August 1913.
The schedule to the act was repealed by section 64(3) of, and schedule 5 to, the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979, which came into force in England and Wales on 9 October 1981, and in Scotland on 30 November 1981.
See also Ancient Monuments Protection Act 1900 Ancient Monuments Protection Act 1910 Ancient Monuments Consolidation and Amendment Act 1913 Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 Reproduced copy of 1882 Act List of prehistoric structures in Great Britain
Notes
References The Construction of Built Heritage
External links