List Of World Heritage Sites In The United Kingdom

There are 33 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the United Kingdom and the British Overseas Territories. The UNESCO list contains one designated site in both England and Scotland (the Frontiers of the Roman Empire) plus eighteen exclusively in England, five in Scotland, four in Wales, one in Northern Ireland, and one in each of the overseas territories of Bermuda, Gibraltar, the Pitcairn Islands, and Saint Helena. There is an additional site partly in the UK territory of Akrotiri and Dhekelia, but is regarded to be part of Cyprus's list. The first sites in the UK to be inscribed on the World Heritage List were Giant's Causeway and Causeway Coast; Durham Castle and Cathedral; Ironbridge Gorge; Studley Royal Park including the Ruins of Fountains Abbey; Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites; and the Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd in 1986. The latest sites to be inscribed were The Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales and Bath Spa (as a component of the Great Spas of Europe) in July 2021.

The constitution of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (commonly referred to as UNESCO) was ratified in 1946 by 26 countries, including the UK. Its purpose was to provide for the "conservation and protection of the world’s inheritance of books, works of art and monuments of history and science". The UK contributes £130,000 annually to the World Heritage Fund which finances the preservation of sites in developing countries. Some designated properties contain multiple sites that share a common geographical location or cultural heritage.

The United Kingdom National Commission for UNESCO advises the British government, which is responsible for maintaining its World Heritage Sites, on policies regarding UNESCO. The UK National Commission for UNESCO conducted research in 2014–15 on the Wider Value of UNESCO to the UK, and found that the UK's World Heritage Sites generated an estimated £85 million from April 2014 to March 2015 through their association with the global network.

World Heritage Site selection criteria i–vi are culturally related, and selection criteria vii–x are the natural criteria. Twenty-three properties are designated as "cultural", four as "natural", and one as "mixed". The breakdown of sites by type was similar to the overall proportions; of the 1,121 sites on the World Heritage List, 77.5% are cultural, 19% are natural, and 3.5% are mixed. St Kilda is the only mixed World Heritage Site in the UK. Originally preserved for its natural habitats alone, the site was expanded in 2005 to include the crofting community that once inhabited the archipelago; the site became one of only 25 mixed sites worldwide. The natural sites are the Dorset and East Devon Coast; Giant's Causeway and Causeway Coast; Gough and Inaccessible Islands; and Henderson Island. The rest are cultural.

In 2012, the World Heritage Committee added Liverpool – Maritime Mercantile City to the List of World Heritage in Danger, citing threats to the site's integrity from planned urban development projects. The site was stripped of World Heritage status in 2021.

The UNESCO list contains one designated site in both England and Scotland (the Frontiers of the Roman Empire, which is also in Germany) with another sixteen in England, five in Scotland, four in Wales, one in Northern Ireland, and one in each of the overseas territories of Bermuda, Gibraltar, the Pitcairn Islands, and Tristan da Cunha. The maps below show all current World Heritage Sites.

Blaenavon   Blenheim Palace   Canterbury   Gwynedd Castles   Welsh Slate   City of Bath   Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape   Derwent Valley Mills   Dorset and East Devon Coast   Durham   Frontiers of the Roman Empire   Giant's Causeway   Heart of Neolithic Orkney   Ironbridge Gorge   New Lanark   Old and New Towns of Edinburgh   Pontcysyllte   St Kilda   Saltaire       Stonehenge   Studley Royal Park   London   Forth Bridge   Lake District   Jodrell Bank class=notpageimage| The World Heritage Sites of the United Kingdom: cultural sites marked red, natural sites marked green, mixed site (St Kilda) marked blue. Names are abridged to fit on the map. Greater London is home to the cultural sites of Maritime Greenwich, Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, Tower of London, and Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey including Saint Margaret's Church.

Maritime Greenwich   Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew   Tower of London   Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey class=notpageimage| The World Heritage Sites of London: cultural sites marked red, natural sites marked green, mixed sites marked blue. Names are abridged to fit on the map. Greater London is home to the cultural sites of Maritime Greenwich, Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, Tower of London, and Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey including Saint Margaret's Church.

The table lists information about each World Heritage Site:

Name: as listed by the World Heritage Committee
Location: in one of the UK's constituent countries and overseas territories, with co-ordinates provided by UNESCO
Period: time period of significance, typically of construction
UNESCO data: the site's reference number, the year the site was inscribed on the World Heritage List, and the criteria it was listed under
Description: brief description of the site

Name	Image	Location	Country/territory	Coords	Date	UNESCO data	Description
Blaenavon Industrial Landscape		Blaenavon,   Wales	Wales	51°47′N 3°05′W / 51.78°N 3.08°W / 51.78; -3.08 (Blaenavon Industrial Landscape)	19th century	984; 2000; iii, iv	In the 19th century, Wales was the world's foremost producer of iron and coal. Blaenavon is an example of the landscape created by the industrial processes associated with the production of these materials. The site includes quarries, public buildings, workers' housing, and a railway.
Blenheim Palace		Woodstock, Oxfordshire,   England	England	51°50′28″N 1°21′40″W / 51.841°N 1.361°W / 51.841; -1.361 (Blenheim Palace)	1705–1722	425; 1987; ii, iv	Blenheim Palace, the residence of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, was designed by architects John Vanbrugh and Nicholas Hawksmoor. The associated park was landscaped by Capability Brown. The palace celebrated victory over the French and is significant for establishing English Romantic Architecture as a separate entity from French Classical Architecture.
Canterbury Cathedral, St Augustine's Abbey, and St Martin's Church		Canterbury, Kent,   England	England	51°17′N 1°05′E / 51.28°N 1.08°E / 51.28; 1.08 (Canterbury Cathedral, St Augustine's Abbey, and St Martin's Church)	11th century	496; 1988; i, ii, vi	St Martin's Church is the oldest church in England. The church and St Augustine's Abbey were founded during the early stages of the introduction of Christianity to the Anglo-Saxons. The cathedral exhibits Romanesque and Gothic architecture, and is the seat of the Church of England.
Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd		Conwy, Isle of Anglesey and Gwynedd,   Wales	Wales	53°08′20″N 4°16′34″W / 53.139°N 4.276°W / 53.139; -4.276 (Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd)	13th–14th centuries	374; 1986; i, iii, iv	During the reign of Edward I of England (1272–1307), a series of castles were constructed in Wales with the purpose of subduing the population and establishing English colonies in Wales. The World Heritage Site covers many castles including Beaumaris, Caernarfon, Conwy, and Harlech. The castles of Edward I are considered the pinnacle of military architecture by military historians.
City of Bath		Bath, Somerset,   England	England	51°22′48″N 2°21′36″W / 51.380°N 2.360°W / 51.380; -2.360 (City of Bath)	1st–19th centuries	428; 1987; i, ii, iv	Founded by the Romans as a spa, an important centre of the wool industry in the medieval period, and a spa town in the 18th century, Bath has a varied history. The city is preserved for its Roman remains and Palladian architecture.
Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape		Cornwall and Devon,   England	England	50°08′N 5°23′W / 50.13°N 5.38°W / 50.13; -5.38 (Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape)	18th and 19th centuries	1215; 2006; ii, iii, iv	Tin and copper mining in Devon and Cornwall boomed in the 18th and 19th centuries, and at its peak the area produced two-thirds of the world's copper. The techniques and technology involved in deep mining developed in Devon and Cornwall were used around the world.
Derwent Valley Mills		Derwent Valley, Derbyshire,   England	England	53°01′12″N 1°29′56″W / 53.020°N 1.499°W / 53.020; -1.499 (Derwent Valley Mills)	18th and 19th centuries	1030; 2001; ii, iv	The Derwent Valley Mills was the birthplace of the factory system; the innovations in the valley, including the development of workers' housing – such as at Cromford – and machines such as the water frame, were important in the Industrial Revolution. The Derwent Valley Mills influenced North America and Europe.
Dorset and East Devon Coast		Dorset and Devon,   England	England	50°42′N 2°59′W / 50.70°N 2.98°W / 50.70; -2.98 (Dorset and East Devon Coast)		1029; 2001; viii	The cliffs that make up the Dorset and Devon coast are an important site for fossils and provide a continuous record of life on land and in the sea in the area since 185 million years ago.
Durham Castle and Cathedral		Durham, County Durham,   England	England	54°46′26″N 1°34′30″W / 54.774°N 1.575°W / 54.774; -1.575 (Durham Castle and Cathedral)	11th and 12th centuries	370; 1986; ii, iv, vi	Durham Cathedral is the "largest and finest" example of Norman architecture in England and vaulting of the cathedral was part of the advent of Gothic architecture. The cathedral houses relics of St Cuthbert and Bede. The Norman castle was the residence of the Durham prince-bishops.
The English Lake District		Cumbria,   England	England	54°28′26″N 3°4′56″W / 54.47389°N 3.08222°W / 54.47389; -3.08222 (The English Lake District)		422; 2017; ii, v, vi	Famous for its scenic landscape of mountains, lakes, houses, gardens and parks, the Lake District was celebrated through picturesque and romantic visual arts and literature from the 18th century on.
Forth Bridge		Edinburgh, Inchgarvie and Fife,   Scotland	Scotland	56°00′02″N 3°23′19″W / 56.000421°N 3.388726°W / 56.000421; -3.388726 (Forth Bridge)	1890	1485; 2015; i, iv	The Forth Bridge is a cantilever railway bridge over the Firth of Forth in the east of Scotland, 9 miles (14 kilometres) west of Edinburgh City Centre. It is considered an iconic structure and a symbol of Scotland. It was designed by the English engineers Sir John Fowler and Sir Benjamin Baker and built by Sir William Arrol of Glasgow who also built Tower Bridge in London.
Frontiers of the Roman Empire		Northern   England and southern   Scotland	England, Scotland	54°59′N 2°36′W / 54.99°N 2.60°W / 54.99; -2.60 (Frontiers of the Roman Empire)	2nd century	430; 1987 (modified in 2005 and 2008); ii, iii, iv	Hadrian's Wall was built in 122 AD and the Antonine Wall was constructed in 142 AD to defend the Roman Empire from "barbarians". The World Heritage Site was previously listed as Hadrian's Wall alone, but was later expanded to include the Antonine Wall in Scotland and the barriers, walls and forts in modern Germany.
Giant's Causeway and Causeway Coast		County Antrim, Northern Ireland	Northern Ireland	55°14′24″N 6°30′40″W / 55.240°N 6.511°W / 55.240; -6.511 (Giant's Causeway and Causeway Coast)	60–50 million years ago	369; 1986; vii, viii	The causeway is made up of 40,000 basalt columns projecting out of the sea. It was created by volcanic activity in the Tertiary period. It has been an inspiration for legends and has been the site of development in earth studies over the past 300 years.
Gorham's Cave Complex		East face of the Rock of Gibraltar,   Gibraltar	Gibraltar	36°07′13″N 5°20′31″W / 36.120397°N 5.342075°W / 36.120397; -5.342075 (Gorham's Cave)	33-23 thousand years ago	1500; 2016; iii	Comprising four natural sea caves, the complex is the last known site of Neanderthal inhabitation some 28,000 years ago. Evidences of occupation by modern humans are also present at the site.
Gough and Inaccessible Islands		Tristan da Cunha, Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, South Atlantic Ocean	Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha	40°19′05″S 9°56′07″W / 40.3181°S 9.9353°W / -40.3181; -9.9353 (Gough and Inaccessible Island)		740; 1995 (modified in 2004); vii, x	Together, the Gough and Inaccessible Islands preserve an ecosystem almost untouched by mankind, with many endemic species of plants and animals.
Great Spas of Europe		Bath, Somerset,   England (Transnational property)	England		1st–20th centuries	1613; 2021; ii, iii	The city of Bath is one of the Great Spa Towns of Europe, which is World Heritage Site which contains multiple towns that are renowned for their baths.
Heart of Neolithic Orkney		Orkney,   Scotland	Scotland	58°59′46″N 3°11′17″W / 58.996°N 3.188°W / 58.996; -3.188 (Heart of Historic Orkney)	3rd millennium BC	514; 1999; i, ii, iii, iv	A collection of Neolithic sites with purposes ranging from occupation to ceremony. It includes the settlement of Skara Brae, the chambered tomb of Maes Howe and the stone circles of Stenness and Brodgar.
Henderson Island		Henderson Island,   Pitcairn Islands, Pacific Ocean	Pitcairn Islands	24°21′S 128°19′W / 24.35°S 128.31°W / -24.35; -128.31 (Henderson Island)	n/a	487; 1988; vii, x	The island is an atoll in the south of the Pacific Ocean, the ecology of which has been almost untouched by man and its isolation illustrates the dynamics of evolution. There are ten plant and four animal species endemic to the island.
Historic Town of St George and Related Fortifications, Bermuda		St George,   Bermuda	Bermuda	32°22′46″N 64°40′40″W / 32.379444°N 64.677778°W / 32.379444; -64.677778 (St George)	17th–20th centuries	983; 2000; iv	Founded in 1612, St George's is the oldest English town in the New World and an example of planned urban settlements established in the New World in the 17th century by colonial powers. The fortifications illustrate defensive techniques developed through the 17th to 20th centuries.
Ironbridge Gorge		Ironbridge, Shropshire,   England	England	52°37′34″N 2°29′10″W / 52.626°N 2.486°W / 52.626; -2.486 (Ironbridge Gorge)	18th century	371; 1986; i, ii, iv, vi	Ironbridge Gorge contains mines, factories, workers' housing, and the transport infrastructure that was created in the gorge during the Industrial Revolution. The development of coke production in the area helped start the Industrial Revolution. The Iron Bridge was the world's first bridge built from iron and was architecturally and technologically influential.
Jodrell Bank Observatory		Cheshire,   England	England	53°14.5′N 2°18.7′W / 53.2417°N 2.3117°W / 53.2417; -2.3117 (Jodrell Bank Observatory)	1945	1594; 2019; i, ii, iv, vi	Located in a rural area of northwest England, free from radio interference, Jodrell Bank is one of the world's leading radio astronomy observatories. At the beginning of its use, in 1945, the property housed research on cosmic rays detected by radar echoes. This observatory, which is still in operation, includes several radio telescopes and working buildings, including engineering sheds and the Control Building. Jodrell Bank has had substantial scientific impact in fields such as the study of meteors and the moon, the discovery of quasars, quantum optics, and the tracking of spacecraft. This exceptional technological ensemble illustrates the transition from traditional optical astronomy to radio astronomy (1940s to 1960s), which led to radical changes in the understanding of the universe.
Maritime Greenwich		Greenwich, London, Greater London,   England	England	51°28′45″N 0°00′00″E / 51.4791°N 0°E / 51.4791; 0 (Maritime Greenwich)	17th and 18th centuries	795; 1997; i, ii, iv, vi	As well as the presence of the first example of Palladian architecture in England, and works by Christopher Wren and Inigo Jones, the area is significant for the Royal Observatory where the understanding of astronomy and navigation were developed.
New Lanark		New Lanark, South Lanarkshire,   Scotland	Scotland	55°40′N 3°47′W / 55.66°N 3.78°W / 55.66; -3.78 (New Lanark)	19th century	429; 2001; ii, iv, vi	Prompted by Richard Arkwright's factory system developed in the Derwent Valley, the community of New Lanark was created to provide housing for workers at the mills. Philanthropist Robert Owen bought the site and turned it into a model community, providing public facilities, education, and supporting factory reform.
Old and New Towns of Edinburgh		Edinburgh,   Scotland	Scotland	55°56′49″N 3°11′28″W / 55.947°N 3.191°W / 55.947; -3.191 (Old and New Town of Edinburgh)	11th–19th centuries	728; 1995; ii, iv	The Old Town of Edinburgh was founded in the Middle Ages, and the New Town was developed in 1767–1890. It contrasts the layout of settlements in the medieval and modern periods. The layout and architecture of the new town, whose designers include William Chambers and William Playfair, influenced European urban design in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey including Saint Margaret's Church		Westminster, Greater London,   England	England	51°29′59″N 0°07′43″W / 51.4997°N 0.1286°W / 51.4997; -0.1286 (Westminster Palace, Westminster Abbey and Saint Margaret's Church)	10th, 11th, and 19th centuries	426; 1987 (modified in 2008); i, ii, iv	The site has been involved in the administration of England since the 11th century, and later the United Kingdom. Since the coronation of William the Conqueror, all English and British monarchs have been crowned at Westminster Abbey. Westminster Palace, home to the British Parliament, is an example of Gothic Revival architecture; St Margaret's Church is the palace's parish church, and although it pre-dates the palace and was built in the 11th century, it has been rebuilt since.
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal		Trevor, Wrexham,   Wales and Shropshire,   England	England	52°58′12″N 3°05′13″W / 52.970°N 3.087°W / 52.970; -3.087 (Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal)	1795–1805	1303; 2009; i, ii, iv	The aqueduct was built to carry the Ellesmere Canal over the Dee Valley. Completed during the Industrial Revolution and designed by Scottish Engineer Thomas Telford, the aqueduct made innovative use of cast and wrought iron, influencing civil engineering across the world.
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew		Kew, Greater London,   England	England	51°28′26″N 0°17′42″W / 51.474°N 0.295°W / 51.474; -0.295 (Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew)	18th–20th centuries	1084; 2003; ii, iii, iv	Created in 1759, the influential Kew Gardens were designed by Charles Bridgeman, William Kent, Capability Brown, and William Chambers. The gardens were used to study botany and ecology and furthered the understanding of the subjects.
St Kilda		St Kilda,   Scotland	Scotland	57°48′58″N 8°34′59″W / 57.816°N 8.583°W / 57.816; -8.583 (St Kilda)	n/a	387; 1987 (modified in 2005 and 2008); iii, v, vii, ix, x	Although inhabited for over 2,000 years, the isolated archipelago of St Kilda has had no permanent residents since 1930. The islands' human heritage includes various unique architectural features from the historic and prehistoric periods. St Kilda is also a breeding ground for many important seabird species including the world's largest colony of gannets and up to 136,000 pairs of puffins.
Saltaire		Saltaire, Shipley, West Yorkshire,   England	England	53°50′13″N 1°47′24″W / 53.837°N 1.790°W / 53.837; -1.790 (Saltaire)	1853	1028; 2001; ii, iv	Saltaire was founded by mill-owner Titus Salt as a model village for his workers. The site, which includes the Salts Mill, featured public buildings for the inhabitants and was an example of 19th-century paternalism.
The Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales		Gwynedd,   Wales	Wales		18th–20th centuries	1633; 2021; ii, v	The six key areas, all located in Gwynedd, are: Penrhyn Slate Quarry and Bethesda, and the Ogwen Valley to Port Penrhyn; Dinorwig Slate Quarry Mountain Landscape; Nantlle Valley Slate Quarry Landscape; Gorseddau and Prince of Wales Slate Quarries, Railways and Mill; Ffestiniog: its Slate Mines and Quarries, 'city of slates' and Railway to Porthmadog; Bryneglwys Slate Quarry, Abergynolwyn Village and the Talyllyn Railway.
Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites		Wiltshire,   England	England	51°10′44″N 1°49′31″W / 51.1788°N 1.8252°W / 51.1788; -1.8252 (Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites)	4th–2nd millennia BC	373; 1986 (modified in 2008); i, ii, iii	The Neolithic sites of Avebury and Stonehenge are two of the largest and most famous megalithic monuments in the world. They relate to man's interaction with his environment. The purpose of the henges has been a source of speculation, with suggestions ranging from ceremonial to interpreting the cosmos. "Associated sites" includes Silbury Hill, Beckhampton Avenue, and West Kennet Avenue.
Studley Royal Park including the Ruins of Fountains Abbey		North Yorkshire,   England	England	54°06′58″N 1°34′23″W / 54.116°N 1.573°W / 54.116; -1.573 (Studley Royal Park including the Ruins of Fountains Abbey)	1132 (abbey), 19th century (park)	372; 1986; i, iv	Before the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the mid-16th century, Fountains Abbey was one of the largest and richest Cistercian abbeys in Britain and is one of only a few that survives from the 12th century. The later garden, which incorporates the abbey, survives to a large extent in its original design and influenced garden design in Europe.
Tower of London		Tower Hamlets, Greater London,   England	England	51°30′29″N 0°04′34″W / 51.5080°N 0.0761°W / 51.5080; -0.0761 (Tower of London)	11th century	488; 1988; ii, iv	Begun by William the Conqueror in 1066 during the Norman conquest of England, the Tower of London is a symbol of power and an example of Norman military architecture that spread across England. Additions by Henry III and Edward I in the 13th century made the castle one of the most influential buildings of its kind in England.

In addition, one world heritage site falling within the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia is regarded as a site of Cyprus. This is as the 1960 treaty with Cyprus stipulates that "the ancient monuments and antiquity will be administered and maintained by the Republic of Cyprus".

Site	Image	Location	Criteria	Area ha (acre)	Year	Description	Refs
Paphos (Kourion portion)		Episkopi Cantonment,   Akrotiri and Dhekelia Episkopi, Limassol,   Cyprus	Cultural: (iii)(vi)	—	1980

The Tentative List is an inventory of important heritage and natural sites that a country is considering for inscription on the World Heritage List, thereby becoming World Heritage Sites. The Tentative List can be updated at any time, but inclusion on the list is a prerequisite to being considered for inscription within a five- to ten-year period.

The UK's Tentative List was last updated on 25 July 2014, and consisted of 11 sites (3 of which have since been inscribed as World Heritage Sites). The properties remaining on the Tentative List in 2022 are as follows:

Name	Image	Location	Date	UNESCO data
Chatham Dockyard and its Defences		Kent,   England 51°39′47″N 0°53′40″E / 51.66306°N 0.89444°E / 51.66306; 0.89444 (Chatham Dockyard and its Defences)	17th–19th centuries	5670; 2012; ii, iv
Creswell Crags		Derbyshire,   England 53°16′N 1°12′W / 53.26°N 1.20°W / 53.26; -1.20 (Creswell Crags)	60–15 thousand years ago	5671; 2012; iii
Darwin's Landscape Laboratory		Greater London,   England 51°19′50″N 0°03′04″E / 51.33056°N 0.05111°E / 51.33056; 0.05111 (Darwin's Landscape Laboratory)	1842–1882	5672; 2012; iii, vi
Island of St Helena		Saint Helena, South Atlantic Ocean 16°0′0″N 5°45′0″W / 16.00000°N 5.75000°W / 16.00000; -5.75000 (Island of St Helena)	—	5675; 2012; x
Mousa, Old Scatness and Jarlshof: the Zenith of Iron Age Shetland		Shetland,   Scotland	4,000 years ago	5677; 2012; iii, iv
Flow Country		Caithness and Sutherland,   Scotland 58°20′53″N 3°59′0″W / 58.34806°N 3.98333°W / 58.34806; -3.98333 (Flow Country)	—	5679; 2012; ix, x
The Twin Monastery of Wearmouth Jarrow		Tyne and Wear,   England	672/3 (Wearmouth) 681 (Jarrow)	5681; 2012; ii, iii, iv, vi
Turks and Caicos Islands		Turks and Caicos Islands, Caribbean Sea 21°20′N 71°10′W / 21.333°N 71.167°W / 21.333; -71.167 (Turks and Caicos Islands)	—	5682; 2012; x

In April 2023, an updated UK Tentative List was announced by the Department for Culture, Media & Sport. The 5 new sites on the list will further develop their nominations before submitting them to UNESCO for assessment. The 7 sites on the updated list are:

• Birkenhead the People’s Park
• East Atlantic Flyway – England East Coast Wetlands
• The Flow Country
• Gracehill Moravian Church Settlements
• Little Cayman Marine Parks and Protected Area
• York
• The Zenith of Iron Age Shetland

• List of World Heritage Sites in Europe
• List of World Heritage Sites in Scotland
• Lists of World Heritage Sites
• Tourism in the United Kingdom