Published under the auspices of the ‘Heritage Matters’ series, Conserving and Managing Ancient Monuments reveals from the outset that it explicitly articulates heritage as a contemporary, political practice. Joining such critical titles as The Destruction of Cultural Heritage in Iraq (Stone and Farchakh Bajjaly Reference Stone and Farchakh Bajjaly2008), winner of the Wiseman Book Award of the Archaeological Institute of America in 2011, this volume is a welcome addition to the wider series and to critical heritage studies in the UK. Keith Emerick writes from the perspective of a practitioner, as an employee of what was English Heritage when he was writing, and as such displays a strong practical grasp of arguments and understandings. The volume focuses on the need to balance theory and practice in dealing with tangible heritage in contemporary England (although historic Cyprus also provides a chapter-long case study). The author is more than able to complete this task by using his strategic standpoint and personal involvement in many of the case studies, displaying ability to engage equally well from either side of what is often a theory–practice divide in heritage studies.

The structure of this monograph is unusual as it contains an introduction followed by seven chapters that have specific but very different foci. It is difficult to categorise them more clearly than by stating that the separate chapters jump between the impact and repercussions of changing legislative frameworks, examining heritage theory and practice through case studies and taking a chronological approach. At first sight this is confusing, as there does not appear to be a strong central thesis or statement of argument that is developed throughout the volume. Rather, the author has decided to engage with contemporary heritage concerns through case studies primarily located in England but also contextualised within the wider context of Europe and further afield. However, once one begins to read the volume this approach makes more sense as Emerick argues that heritage management, conservation and designation (terms, he explains, often used interchangeably but in reality with various, evolving, meanings) in England have not developed in a vacuum. He notes that heritage is defined and protected under various levels and lists of criteria, policy frameworks and / or legislation, from the local level through to the universal designation of world heritage status. He is also keen to emphasise that many of the current best practices in critical heritage studies have been developed outside Europe, especially in the United States and in Australia, and that their impacts need to be considered. In this volume the author attempts to grapple with many issues within one monograph and for the most part he does so admirably, with clarity and with great honesty.

Due to his particular expertise and experience, Emerick is clearly more comfortable addressing some issues than others. In a key example he aptly, and with candour, balances the thorny issues of theory and practice in a dedicated section, Chapter 6, ‘Putting theory into practice’. His explicit engagement with the evolving contemporary politics of heritage management, particularly the interplay between different conceptions of heritage, as a static, finite resource or as a renewable resource in the present is extremely insightful. He is similarly insightful in his treatment of emerging views of heritage as both a source of tourist revenue as well as a panacea for engaging with diversity and multiple identities. Other areas are less convincing; for example, his discussions of the role and importance of Irish ‘heritage’ legislation in the nineteenth century, which rely on out-of-date sources and do not include the anomaly of Northern Ireland, whose contemporary legislation straddles both national traditions.

Conserving and Managing Ancient Monuments is a very readable, engaging and grounded exploration of issues that are important in critical heritage studies. Most importantly, it is elevated by the ability of the author to broach the legislative, practical and theoretical aspects of his studies through thorough case studies. While the content of this book could have been a little more focused, any streamlining may have been detrimental to the level of detail and the eclectic mix of foci that this volume includes. As a volume it is a telling exploration of the issues of contemporary conservation and management practices in England that both students and practitioners in this broad field would benefit from reading.