Heritage Now

HERITAGE NOW (01/2021) AUTUMN 2021   7 WELCOME LEFT: Ancient Monuments Society Yearbook 1945-7 RIGHT: The Town and Country Planning Act 1968 demolish a listed building. The new arrangements were brought into force on 1 January 1969 and this increased the society’s workload considerably. In the mid-1970s Dame Jennifer Jenkins (1924-2017), then secretary of the AMS (and later chairman of the Historic Buildings Council and of the National Trust), secured government funding to under- pin the society’s statutory role in the planning system. In 1976 the society received a grant of £4,000 from the Department of the Environment to carry out its functions. Casework had always been the bedrock of the society’s activities, but now the National Amenity Societies played an important and formal role in the heritage protec- tion system. The introduction of the designation ‘scheduled ancient monument’ under the Ancient Monu- ments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 further complicated matters in terms of the society’s name – the line between historic buildings and ancient monuments being more firmly drawn. While the role of the AMS had developed along- side policy and legislative changes, the society’s name still reflected the very different circum- stances of the 1920s. Several opportunities arose to change the name, but none was seized. In 2020 AMS trustees decided it was time to act decisively, and in the end opted for something descriptive which is a clear statement of what the society does. The inclusion of ‘places’ is impor- tant and reflects the fact that it is not just des- ignated listed buildings and conservation areas – protected under the Planning (Listed Build- ings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 – with which the society concerns itself, but all historic buildings and places. In its casework, the society aims to provide advice where there is the great- est need, with a focus on Grade II-listed build- ings, historic areas, locally listed buildings and undesignated heritage. Historic England is often involved at pre-application stage for applications affecting Grade II* and Grade I listed buildings – we therefore tend not to get involved unless we strongly believe the proposals would cause substantial harm. In our educational activities we also strive to talk about the built environment in its totality – that is why changing the name to Historic Buildings & Places seemed a logical step to take. For the time being, the society’s official name will continue to be the Ancient Monuments Society, with Historic Buildings & Places as its working name. The society will celebrate its centenary in 2024, and the change may then be fully formal- ised. In the meantime we hope you will continue to support the society and that you will enjoy seeing it flourish.   ———————