Caring for our heritage

We are the keepers of the third-largest heritage estate and the oldest working heritage network in the UK and best of all, it's freely available for everyone to explore.

Across our canal network, you can find international, national and locally designated bridges, locks, buildings and much more. All are recognised for their high landscape, architectural and historic significance and afforded a level of protection. These contribute to the special character and quality of our blue and green spaces.

Our heritage estate

Our heritage estate currently includes:

• 2,707 listed buildings
• 50 Scheduled monuments
• 304 conservation areas
• 7 historic parks and gardens
• 6 historic battlefields
• 4 World Heritage Sites, one of which is directly managed

Our heritage advisors

Waterways heritage is not always found on a grand scale. History is also brought to life by our humble mileposts, centuries-old rope marks in a stone bridge and iconic wooden lock gates.

Our heritage advisors are dedicated to caring for the locks, bridges, tunnels, aqueducts, mileposts and all other historic structures along our waterways. Their efforts will ensure that for generations to come, people will always be able to marvel at our soaring aqueducts, steep lock flights and charming humpback bridges.

Preserving history for the future

Change in the historic environment is inevitable, caused by natural processes and peoples' responses to social, economic, and technical change.

We know that sustaining our internationally important waterways' heritage is vital in benefitting the lives of present and future generations.

We do this by balancing our care with the economic and social imperatives of life today.

A Statement of Principles for the Waterways Heritage

To make sure that we continue to care for our canals and rivers in the best possible way, we have enlisted the help of our Heritage Advisory Group to draw up a statement of six principles. These reflect our charitable objectives and our responsibilities to all of our heritage assets.

• Base our policies and practice on a sound understanding and recognition of the history and significance of the waterways' heritage.

• Apply the optimum conservation standards to maintain the integrity and authenticity of our heritage assets.

• Accept a presumption in favour of conservation of these heritage assets, while recognising the wider aims, objectives and resources of the Trust.

• Work with others to secure the conservation of the wider context and setting of our waterways.

• Benchmark and report on our heritage conservation performance at regular intervals.

• Maintain a Heritage Advisory Group to advise us on our policies and to monitor performance.