Our heritage lost to the free market

Sir: It is difficult to find words to express one's horror at the proposals of English Heritage (sic) to divest itself of its less profitable sites (26 October). If its title means anything, it should mean that the organisation is devoted to safeguarding those elements of our built history that could not survive in the commercial world. The major sites can take care of themselves, but those are the very ones that Jocelyn Stevens is graciously prepared to continue to look after.

And what of those people who have paid for lifelong admission to the 200 sites that are to be 'privatised'? Will their already paid- for rights be respected?

There is one all-too-apt quotation for this situation: 'Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?'

Yours faithfully,

JOHN ANSTEY

London, EC1

27 October