For the 185 monuments, or groups of monuments, in the care of Built Heritage, maintenance and repair are usually carried out by our Conservation Works Team. This includes a number of large and complex sites, such as Carrickfergus Castle and Derry City Walls. Conservation Case Studies shows examples of the work we have carried out recently.
Other monuments, particularly those which are scheduled, are usually conserved by working with the owner to establish a Management Agreement. Under these agreements we can offer detailed advice and specifications and contribute towards costs of the conservation scheme. Management Agreements can be arranged on a wide variety of sites, from standing stones to earthworks such as forts or the ruins of masonry monuments like churches or castles.
A number of masonry monuments are included in the Built Heritage at Risk NI (BHARNI) Register with the aim of targeting conservation resources towards this particularly vulnerable group of sites.
Built Heritage also works with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) through the Northern Ireland Countryside Management Scheme
to provide advice on protecting and conserving monuments on agricultural land. Those participating in the scheme are eligible for payment for basic maintenance works to keep their monument in good condition. Your local DARD Countryside Management Inspector will be able to offer you more information on this.