Ancient monuments

To be eligible for scheduling, the following broad criteria is used:

• Period - the length of time it remained in use;
• Rarity - monuments with few known comparators are more likely to be scheduled;
• Documentation - information from earlier investigations at a site can inform on its significance;
• Group value - where a monument forms part of a wider geographical landscape of important sites;
• Survival/condition - the degree to which the surviving remains convey the size, shape and function of the site;
• Fragility/vulnerability - threats to the site from natural agencies, tourism or development can lead to a monument being scheduled for its protection;
• Representivity - how well the monument represents diverse similar types and/or whether it contains unique features;
• Potential - its ability to contribute to our knowledge through further study.

Historic England gathers information on a site, defines a boundary around it and advises the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport of its eligibility for inclusion on the schedule. There is no appeal against the scheduling process.