Records and Information on the Historic Environment
Knowledge and information about heritage are essential to its protection. Records and information about the historic environment are continually being improved and are becoming more accessible via the internet.
Listed Buildings and Scheduled Monuments
Local authorities also hold information about heritage. These local records, known as Historic Environment Records (HERs), cover all known archaeological sites and historic buildings within the local authority area. Information is now held on computer, usually linked to a Geographic Information System (GIS) which shows sites mapped on a screen.
If an archaeological site or historic building is recorded on the local Historic Environment Record then it will normally be automatically covered by local planning policies that protect the historic environment.
In addition to HERs, many local authorities also maintain local lists. These record all heritage assets, including archaeology and historic buildings, which are significant to the local area and its community.
Many of the records for the historic environment can now be accessed online.
English Heritage provide an online National Heritage List of all listed buildings, scheduled monuments, protected wrecks and registered parks, gardens and battlefields in England. It is possible to search by postcode, by date, by grade, or by category.
The National Monuments Record is also available as an online database via PastScape
Historic Environment Records for English local authorities are accessible online through Heritage Gateway.
The principle online source of information on the historic environment in Scotland is PASTMAP. There you can search for details on all Scotland’s listed buildings and scheduled monuments, as well as architectural, archaeological, industrial and maritime sites, gardens and designed landscapes. The Historic Environment Records of 17 Scottish local authorities can also be found through PASTMAP’s interactive mapping service.
The Historic Wales portal brings together the records on listed buildings and scheduled monuments, along with the information from the National Monuments Record of Wales, the National Archaeology collection, and the Historic Environment Records of the four Welsh Archaeological Trusts. These records can be searched simultaneously on their mapping service.
More detailed records from the Welsh HERs are available via the Archwilio website
The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) maintains two online databases:
- The Northern Ireland Sites and Monuments Record holds information on over 16,000 archaeological sites and historic monuments. It is possible to search by name, location, period, type, designation, or key word.
- The Northern Ireland Building database gives access to information on buildings of sufficient historic or architectural significance to merit a survey by the NIEA.
- The NIEA also provide an online map view of their built heritage records.
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