The concept of heritage has become a national obsession; how and when did this passion for the past become a collective fixation? Ben Cowell traces the rise of heritage consciousness over the last 300 years from its origins in the writings of the 17th- and 18th-century antiquarians to the founding of the first heritage organizations in the 19th century and on to the present day. This is a unique and important book, with a wide appeal from general readers, through students on heritage management courses to members of conservationist bodies and policy-makers at all levels.