Historic Parks, Gardens and Demesnes

Historic parks, gardens and demesnes in Northern Ireland

This information is contained in the Northern Ireland Heritage Gardens Archive which forms part of the Historic Environment Record of Northern Ireland. The records continue to be added to.

The Heritage Gardens Inventory provides a list of the sites contained in the Record, with basic details.

The character and appearance of our modern landscape of Northern Ireland owes much to parks and gardens associated with our country houses, institutions and public parks. For over three centuries they have been an important feature of the countryside. Many are distinguished by their carefully composed designs of trees, meadow and water, perhaps as a setting for a building; some boast a valuable collection of trees, shrubs or plants; others may provide a significant historic record, either of a particular era or showing how the design has changed over the centuries. Aside from their contribution to the quality and character of our local landscape, those that are open to the public provide an important recreational resource. However, it is a fragile heritage, for unlike other works of art, these gardens and designed landscapes are living, growing and evolving. As such they need careful management.

Historic Parks, Gardens and Demesnes Record

The Historic Parks, Gardens and Demesnes Record holds information on over seven hundred sites in Northern Ireland, and a list of those sites is available as the Heritage Gardens Inventory.

The recognition of historic gardens as a cultural resource deserving of preservation is enshrined in the Florence Charter (1982) of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), and The Register of Parks, Gardens and Demesnes of Special Historic Interest was established in 1999 to identify those sites that can be considered of exceptional importance within Northern Ireland. It currently contains 252 entries, which are grouped under their respective Council area and then listed alphabetically.

The Historic Parks, Gardens and Demesnes Record is maintained by the Historic Environment Division (HED) of the Department for Communities as part of the Historic Environment Record of Northern Ireland (HERoNI) This serves as a resource for any member of the public with an interest in our rich garden heritage.

All sites on the register have been mapped onto the Historic Environment Map Viewer.

Conserving our historic parks, gardens and demesnes

Inclusion in the Register affords these sites protection through Planning Policy Statement 6 (PPS6) which specifies that historic parks and gardens included within the register should be considered in the determination of planning consent. This allows Historic Environment Division to offer advice and make recommendations for the protection of sites through the planning consultation process. This is further reinforced when a park or garden forms the setting of a building that has been listed for protection under the Planning (NI) Act 2011.

Protecting our parks, gardens and demesnes of Special Historic Interest

The Register of Parks, Gardens and Demesnes of Special Historic Interest was established in the late 1990s to identify those sites that can be considered of exceptional importance within Northern Ireland. Inclusion is based upon a clear set of criteria and around 154 sites have been selected on the main Register.

A comprehensive revision of the entries in the Register is under review and will be published here shortly. In the interim you can access the register boundary maps on the Historic Environment Map Viewer.

Inclusion in both the Main Register and Supplementary Register affords these sites protection through Planning Policy Statement 6 (PPS6) which specifies that historic parks and gardens included within the register should be considered in the determination of planning consent. This allows Historic Environment Division to offer advice and make recommendations for the protection of sites through the planning consultation process. This is further reinforced when a park or garden forms the setting of a building that has been listed for protection under the Planning (NI) Act 2011.