Exhibition, A Centenary of Care: 100 years of the Ancient Monuments Act NI

This year we celebrate a century of protecting Northern Ireland’s past. The Ancient Monuments Act 1926 was a turning point, the first legislation for Northern Ireland safeguarding our archaeological monuments. It gave the Ministry of Finance, with advice from archaeologists and leading public figures in the form of an advisory committee, the power to schedule monuments, issue Preservation Orders, and bring sites into State Care. The results were remarkable: within a few years, 330 monuments were scheduled and 28 placed in State Care. Though later replaced by new legislation*, the spirit of the 1926 Act still guides everything we do.

To mark its arrival, HM Stationery Office published Ancient Monuments of Northern Ireland, a guide to 22 of the 25 monuments then in state care. This exhibition, presents photographs from the Historic Environment Record of Northern Ireland (HERoNI) and stories of 40 monuments now under state care, including those original 22. Today, Northern Ireland’s Historic Environment Division (HED) manages 187 State Care Monuments and more than 2,000 Scheduled Historic Monuments.

* Historic Monuments Act (Northern Ireland) 1971, and later the Historic Monuments and Archaeological Objects (Northern Ireland) Order 1995

10.30-11.00am Refreshments

Welcome from Manus Deery, Director of HED

11.10-11.30 am A Centenary of Care Exhibition with Curator Bronagh Murray

11.00-12.00pm Carrickfergus Castle with Edith Logue, Archaeologist,HED

12.00-12.30pm Question & Answers and exhibition guided tour

Find out more about HERoNI Historic Environment Record of Northern Ireland (HERoNI) | Department for Communities

Monea Castle, Co. Fermanagh

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Host or Publisher DfC Historic Environment