World Heritage Anniversaries

At the November 1986 World Heritage Committee meeting, the first UK World Heritage Sites were inscribed. The seven sites comprised St Kilda, Stonehenge & Avebury, Studley Royal & Fountains Abbey, the Castles of King Edward in Gwynedd, Giant’s Causeway, Ironbridge Gorge and Durham Castle & Cathedral.

St Kilda, Scotland – Discover the remote volcanic archipelago of St Kilda and its remarkable cultural and natural heritage.

Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites, Wiltshire – Explore a remarkable prehistoric landscape containing some of the world’s most famous stone circles and monuments.

Studley Royal Park including the Ruins of Fountains Abbey, North Yorkshire – Discover spectacular medieval ruins alongside a remarkable designed landscape at Studley Royal Park and Fountains Abbey.

Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd, Wales – Explore remarkable medieval castles and town walls and discover some of the finest examples of medieval military architecture.

Giant’s Causeway and Causeway Coast, Northern Ireland – Discover an extraordinary coastal landscape and the unique interlocking basalt columns of the Giant’s Causeway.

Ironbridge Gorge, Telford – Celebrated as a birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, Ironbridge Gorge tells the story of the people, ideas and innovations that helped change the world.

Durham Castle and Cathedral – Discover Durham Castle and Cathedral and their remarkable history at the heart of the city.

The UK had not long ratified the World Heritage Convention, in May 1984. This at a time that the UK was threatening to leave UNESCO only the month before. The UK did leave in 1985, only to rejoin in 1997.

Today the UK has 35 World Heritage Sites, across all four home nations and in four overseas territories. In addition to this well known UNESCO designation, the UK also has 31 UNESCO Chairs and UNITWIN Networks, 27 Memory of the World International Register, 7 Biosphere Reserves and 9 International Geoscience and Geoparks.

These webpages start with the November 2026 celebrations, and will feature future anniversaries as they reach key milestones.