Listed Buildings
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Context A listed building in the United Kingdom is a building or other structure officially designated as being of special architectural, historical or cultural significance. It is a widely used status, applied to around half a million buildings. A listed building may not be demolished, extended or altered without special permission from the local planning authority (who typically consult the relevant central government agency, particularly for significant alterations to the more notable listed buildings). Owners of listed buildings are, in some circumstances, compelled to repair and maintain them and can face criminal prosecution if they fail to do so or if they perform unauthorised alterations. Because of this, and because listing can limit the options available for significant expansion or improvement, the law allows for owners of listed buildings to object to the listing. Although most structures appearing on the lists are buildings, other structures such as bridges, monuments, sculptures, war memorials, and even milestones and mileposts may also be listed. Ancient, military and uninhabited structures (such as Stonehenge) are sometimes instead classified as Scheduled Ancient Monuments and protected by much older legislation whilst cultural landscapes such as parks and gardens are currently "listed" on a non-statutory basis. Why are there three grades? Listed buildings are graded to show their relative importance:
There are 370,000 or so list entries currently protected by listing, and of those by far the majority - over 92% - are Grade II. Grade I and II* buildings may be eligible for English Heritage grants for urgent major repairs. Halewood Halewood retains the character of a Victorian village with its open aspects, green areas and well spaced buildings. Halewood has numerous buildings of historical interest. There are many fine houses and farms, including The Hayes - the main house of which has a builder's stone dated 1867. Other historic houses include Wellcroft Cottages, Brook House, Harefield/Ashton Hey, Irelands Farm and many others. St Nicholas Church is a Gothic style, Grade II listed building and displays pew boxes and stained glass designed by William Morris. The old rectory has an attractive late Georgian frontage and retains the original pattern of windows. Presently there are only three buildings, plus a unique gravestone, deemed to warrant Grade II listed status: Grade II St. Nicholas Church
War Horse Grave
Halewood Conservation Area
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