The Ancient Monuments Act 1900 was an
Act of the
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace of Westminster, London. It alone possesses legislative suprema ...
that aimed to improve the protection afforded to
ancient monument
In British law, an ancient monument is an early historical structure or monument (e.g. an archaeological site) worthy of preservation and study due to archaeological or heritage interest. The ''Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 ...
s in Britain.
Details
The
Ancient Monuments Protection Act 1882
The Ancient Monuments Protection Act 1882 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (as it then was). It was introduced by John Lubbock, 1st Baron Avebury, recognising the need for a governmental administrat ...
had begun the process of establishing legal protection for Britain's ancient monuments; these had all been prehistoric sites, such as ancient
tumuli
A tumulus (plural tumuli) is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds or ''kurgans'', and may be found throughout much of the world. A cairn, which is a mound of stones built ...
. By the turn of the century, the scope of the earlier legislation was felt to be insufficient, and the Ancient Monuments Act empowered the government's Commissioners of Work and local
county council
A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries.
Ireland
The county councils created under British rule in 1899 continue to exist in Irel ...
s to protect a wider range of properties. The act also allowed these groups to provide public access to ancient monuments, and to financially assist with their conservation.
Consequences
The
Ancient Monuments Protection Act 1910 expanded on the 1900 act. In 1913, gaps in the legislation between the protection ascribed to monuments under the three previous acts led to the a royal commission and the passing of the additional
Ancient Monuments Consolidation and Amendment Act 1913
The Ancient Monuments Consolidation and Amendment Act 1913 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that aimed to improve the protection afforded to ancient monuments in Britain.
Details
The Ancient Monuments Protection Act 1882 had be ...
.
[Mynors, p. 9.]
See also
*
List of prehistoric structures in Great Britain
There are many prehistoric sites and structures of interest remaining from prehistoric Britain, spanning the Stone Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age. Among the most important are the Wiltshire sites around Stonehenge and Avebury, which are designate ...
*
Reproduced text of ''Ancient Monuments Protection Act 1900''
References
Bibliography
*Mynors, Charles. (2006)
Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments.' London: Sweet and Maxwell. .
{{UK legislation
United Kingdom Acts of Parliament 1900
Archaeology of the United Kingdom
Historic preservation legislation
Conservation in the United Kingdom