ABSTRACT
Heightened attention to the preservation of ancient monuments in Sri Lanka began in the middle 1800s, gaining significant momentum during the 1870s, a formative period for antiquarian and orientalist activities on the island. Since this chapter is intended for a broader readership, including those working on Britain and British Empire, it uses the terms Ceylon and Sri Lanka interchangeably. It also focuses on the preservation of ancient Buddhist monuments during the governorship of William H. Gregory, Governor of Ceylon from 1872 until 1877. William Gregory focused particularly on the royal cities of Anuradhapura and Kandy in his work on historic preservation. As archaeological interest began to develop in Britain and India during the 1840s, small sums of money were pledged by the Ceylon government to begin clearing the jungle that had encroached on the archaeological remains of the islands ancient capitals at Anuradhapura and Pollonaruva.
