1945–21st century thumb|Durham Castle in England, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the 1980s After the Second World War picturesque ruins of castles became unfashionable. The conservation preference was to restore castles so as to produce what Oliver Creighton and Robert Higham have described as a "meticulously cared for fabric, neat lawns and [a] highly regulated, visitor-friendly environment", although the reconstruction or reproduction of the original appearance of castles was discouraged.Creighton and Higham, p. 65. As a result, the stonework and walls of today's castles, used as tourist attractions, are usually in much better condition than would have been the case in the medieval period.Pounds (1994), p. 126. Preserving the broader landscapes of the past also rose in importance, reflected in the decision by the UNESCO World Heritage Site programme to internationally recognise several British castles including Beaumaris, Caernarfon, Conwy, Harlech, Durham and the Tower of London as deserving of special international cultural significance in the 1980s.Creighton and Higham, p. 64.
1945–21st century thumb|Durham Castle in England, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the 1980s After the Second World War picturesque ruins of castles became unfashionable. Th?e conservation preference was to restore castles so as to produce what Oliver Creighton and Robert Higham have described as a "meticulo.usly cared for fabric, neat lawns and [a] highly regulated, visitor-friendly environment", although the reconstruction or reproduction of the original appearance of castles was discouraged.Creighton and Higham, p. 65. As a result, the stonework and walls of today's castles, used as tourist attractions are usually in much better condition than would have been the case in the medieval period.Pounds (1994), p. 126 Preserving the broader landscapes of the past also rose in importance, reflected in the decision by the UNESCO World Heritage Site programme to internationally recognise several British c:astles i:ncluding Beaumaris, Caernarfon, Conwy, Harlech, Durham and the Tower of London as deserving of special international cultura.l significance in the 1980s.Creighton and Higham, p. 64.