The UK’s nomination for the workplace and home of Charles Darwin to join UNESCO’s international list of World Heritage Sites was today deferred by the World Heritage Committee for further in depth assessment, Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt announced.
The bid for Darwin’s Landscape Laboratory, situated in the London Borough of Bromley includes Charles Darwin’s house, experimental garden and the countryside immediately around his property. It was here that Darwin developed and demonstrated his theory of evolution by natural selection, through the study of plants and animals in natural settings and under human management. He also undertook various scientific investigations over a period of forty years at the site, after his round-the-world voyage on HMS Beagle in the 1830s.
At its meeting in Brasilia, Brazil the World Heritage Committee announced that although Darwin’s Landscape Laboratory was very strong in terms of recognising scientific achievement, further in depth study and analysis was needed before the site could be considered for World Heritage designation. The Committee voted to defer the nomination back to the UK authorities for these issues to be addressed.
Jeremy Hunt said:
“Whilst this is disappointing for all those involved in taking this nomination forward, the World Heritage Committee’s decision has given the bid partnership the opportunity to re-visit this nomination and to look at ways in which the case might be strengthened for re-nomination in the future.
“However I’m pleased the Committee has recognised the value of the site not only in terms of historical interest, but the celebration of achievements in science, paving the way for including a greater representation of the heritage of science and technology on the World Heritage List.”
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