Part of the response to a question raised in Parliament in connection with historic sites in the Overseas Territories was that St Helena had 11 historic sites.  This raised one or two eyebrows at the National Trust as anyone familiar with Crallan’s Listings knows there are over 200 listed buildings and numerous other historic fortifications, monuments and sites. 

A follow-up question was inevitable and Lord Jones of Cheltenham, an erstwhile ally of St Helena at Westminster, submitted the required supplementary.  His question and the response were;

Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat) asked Her Majesty's Government:

What are the 11 historic sites in St Helena which are recognised by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office?

Lord Malloch-Brown (Minister of State, Foreign & Commonwealth Office; Labour)

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not have a role in recognising historic sites in St Helena. The list referred to in the response of my honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Gillian Merron, to Lindsay Hoyle on 13 October 2008 (Hansard, col. 966W) was provided by the St Helena Government.

The 11 historical sites are:

St Paul's Cathedral;
Plantation House;
Longwood House;
Ladder Hill complex;
Seafront fortification (Jamestown);
The Castle;
St James's Church;
The Ladder;
High Knoll Fort;
Banks Batteries and Lines; and
remainder of Jamestown, but particularly lower conservation area.

These sites have been identified by the St Helena Government as major historical sites, based on information in the land development control plan. The St Helena Government do not hold a current register containing all sites considered to be historical or heritage sites. However, a register drawn up in 1974 detailed 208 listed buildings. The St Helena Government, in conjunction with the National Trust, are working to produce an updated list with a revised figure which will be made available to the House.

The St Helena National Trust will provide the St Helena Government with all the help it can so that an accurate and up-to-date record is available. Much work is required as, incredibly, unknown ruins of fortifications are still be discovered on the Island.  Methodical Island-wide surveys are needed which include the recording and interpretation each historic building, site or artefact.

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