'Heritage Under Fire': The Office of Works and Historic Monuments in Wartime

The Ancient Monuments Branch of the Office (later, the Ministry) of Works, a department of the UK government, was the chief custodian of Britain's historic monuments during the major conflicts of the 20(th) century. It accumulated what has been described as the greatest national collection of historic monuments ever assembled and oversaw state protection through the scheduling and listing of historic sites.(1) This article sets out the context for the Office of Works' involvement in historic monuments before outlining the impact of the First and Second World Wars on its activities. During the first conflict there was significant damage to historic monuments and many sites were refused guardianship due to depleted resources. The Second World War saw the Branch avert a serious threat to Hadrian's Wall, as well as help oversee the emergency photographic recording of historic buildings, the rescue excavation of archaeological sites, and a salvage scheme to repair and preserve bomb-damaged buildings. This article outlines how the conflict acted as a catalyst for change, leading to greater appreciation of historic monuments and new measures to protect them, most notably through the creation of a national list of historic buildings, a significant legacy that remains with us today.