Lyons: Register of Parks, Gardens and Demesnes of Special Historic Interest for Northern Ireland launched
Date published:
Communities Minister Gordan Lyons has launched the updated Register of Parks, Gardens and Demesnes of Special Historic Interest for Northern Ireland.
Minister Lyons said:
"Parks, gardens and demesnes have featured prominently in the landscape of Northern Ireland for more than three centuries, and those that are open to the public are still visited and enjoyed by many people today.
"The Register of Parks, Gardens and Demesnes of Special Historic Interest was established in 1999 to identify those sites of exceptional importance within Northern Ireland. Through rigorous heritage-focused research, my Department's Historic Environment Division has been able to update this resource.
"All sites on the register now include comprehensive descriptions and associated maps that clearly demarcate their identified boundaries. The register contains 252 entries, which are grouped under their respective council area and those considered to be of special historic interest have been included in the Register.
"This is particularly important as the register serves as the authoritative evidence source for these special sites, providing valuable information for research and conservation purposes, as well as informing development and management decisions that may impact them.
"The inclusion of a site on the Register acknowledges its archaeological, architectural, and landscape qualities."
The Department has also published a A Guide to The Register of Parks, Gardens and Demesnes of Special Historic Interest in Northern Ireland. This provides further information, including the background to the Register as well as the rationale for the categorisations contained in it, and should be consulted along with the Register.
Historic parks, gardens and demesnes which survive today across Northern Ireland preserve the diversity of styles, designs and layouts that characterise this distinctive heritage.
