Sewerby Hall and Boynton Hall (s.p.b.s) are both Grade 1 ‘listed buildings’, some of the other large period houses considered recently are also Grade 1 although some are Grade 2*. The ‘listing’ of historic buildings is part of the responsibilities of the government agency Historic England. There are only three levels of listing; grade 1 (most comprehensive), grade 2* and grade 2, the latter normally requiring the owner to abide by some rules relating only to the exterior of the property. The listing, and the requirements at each of the three levels, is designed to retain the ‘probity’ of historic buildings rather than allowing them to be changed at the will of the current owner or to be demolished.
All buildings built before 1700 which survive in anything like their original condition are listed as are most of those built between 1700 and 1840. It is estimated by Historic England that about half a million listed buildings have been catalogued in England of which 92% are grade 2. Historic England’s catalogue of listed buildings can be interrogated from its website and it can be surprising how many listed buildings exist in a community e.g. about 180 in Barton on Humber with a population of 13000. Obviously there is likely to be a close correlation between listed buildings and conservation areas (these in turn quite high profile nationally at the moment as it is the golden anniversary of the legislation that initiated them, nationally it is the Civic Trust which oversees and promotes conservation areas). The local authority is responsible for the maintenance of conservation areas within its county boundaries.
There is currently a push to raise the profile of listed buildings and conservation areas, Barton Civic Soc. for example has produced a leaflet to this effect and volunteers posted it through all letter-boxes in the conservation area and of the few listed buildings outside the conservation area. Estate agents can often not be relied upon to make listed status clear to prospective buyers.
St. Peter’s church, Barton on Humber, currently administered by English Heritage, is a grade 1 listed building. Many other medieval churches have the same level of listing, some later ones are grade2*. This is all to the good as with declining congregations the future of many historic churches seems very uncertain in the 21st century.
‘Listed building consent’ has to be got from the local authority before physical changes can be made to a listed building.