We are a sentimental species, we hang on to 'stuff' and old antiquities even though their only value may be a link to the past. It is only really the last few centuries where the global population has started to encroach on our links with the past. Through many wars and generations of Kings and Queens, no amount of land was ever under such a threat s it is from population growth and the essential provision of housing, services and community requirements.
Although many countries today have a doctrine on how to save place of historic interest, the UK is lucky to have several. One such oversight and savour comes in the form of English Heritage. English Heritage is a government sponsored organisation, overseen by Parliament which seeks to protect all manner of buildings, landscapes and artefacts and keep them in situ in place of prominence.
Understandably the British government knows the important of tourism when it comes to the economy. Especially so when citizens of Earth can choose a variety of destinations, some with much older places of interest and based in more exotic locales. The English Heritage organisations currently looks after, maintains and operates 400 heritage sites across the UK. These of course include the famous Stonehenge site which has received an upgrade to facilities and the closure of the local road which has returned the site to its former natural beauty.
Within the above encapsulation this is what EH does. They preserve history, ensure environmental impacts are lessened on the place of historical interest and further seek to conserve the area around it. They facilitate these measures across a wide range of castles, publicly accessible manors and Iron Age hill forts like Old Sarum to keep them intact not only for today's tourism led industry but the next few centuries.
To keep all these places functional and to preserve the materials within and the surroundings English Heritage required funding. They receive this from government funds, benefactors but also through public donations and through tourism. Tourism is the mainstay of the majority of heritage site under their wing but they are still careful not to impact on the sites. In many cases conservation and environmental issues are addressed on an almost monthly basis, accepting or deny work which needs to carried out, proposing denials or acceptance to nearby constructions.