Using the Heritage Environment Record
England
Researching local history can sometimes be a painstaking and arduous affair. However, there are many tools to assist this endeavour, not least the Historic Environment Record which provides a plethora of information for local historians, archaeologists, and other researchers.
The Historic Environment Record, also known as the HER, provides up-to-date information on archaeological investigations across a particular area, however the information they carry may vary between counties. Records are usually held and updated by county archaeological teams, meaning their accessibility (or lack thereof) depends on the county. A list of counties and cities with online databases can be found at the end of this post.
How to use a HER database
It can look daunting and a little complicated when you first access an online HER database, but it is much simpler and easier than it appears at first glance! Whilst the format of the databases varies from county to county, there are also similarities between them, as will be seen in the examples used here.
One common denominator is the use of maps and layers. As evidenced in the screenshot from the City of York HER, where the choices of layers are on the left and their position on the map of the city is seen on the right. This is beneficial for research purposes as it means you can be as specific as you like in your search. Whether you are wanting to find a specific monument, an event such as a battle, or sites from a specific period.
For further detail, you can click on the highlighted spot on the map, which will bring up information on what event or archaeological investigation has taken place in that location. As seen below from the Somerset HER, several pieces of information may pop up; following the links will take you to a detailed webpage that examines what happened there, what fieldwork events may have taken place, and often have links to an archaeological report, seen here in the ‘references’ section. Such detailed information makes research of a specific location all that much easier! Many sites may also link to multiple investigations, or related events, further benefiting your research.
Somerset HER, with entry for Site 16577. By kind permission of South West Heritage Trust, www.somersetheritage.org.uk. Do not reproduce.
What information can we discern?
What you get from the HER is entirely dependent on what you want to research and where it is you are looking. Take, for instance, the York HER. The multitude of layers enables the researcher to narrow down events, and monuments, find spots, and also determine whether or not sites are in conservation areas.
On further research, reading the reports, often written by archaeological companies, which are attached to the sites on the HER, will give you a plethora of information which may not be readily available elsewhere online. These reports often include background information on the site, previous historical and archaeological activities which have taken place in that location, and sometimes include significant finds, as well as important knowledge determined from archaeological interventions. This enables you to discern important and useful information about the area which may further benefit your research.
The Historic Environment Record is slowly becoming available in more counties and cities across England. Some national parks also have their own resources. They provide in depth archaeological and historical analysis of sites, often including data of finds and the sites historical background, which may benefit your research. To find a link to your local HER, head to Heritage Gateway, which provides details for all counties. Including who to contact in those counties which may not have a publicly accessible database just yet. Through experience, they are more than happy to help you in your research where they can. Happy searching!
Rachel Glaves is a trained landscape historian and archaeologist. She has spent two years working in the UK commercial archaeology industry. Her interests lie in British Neolithic archaeology (particularly Scottish Neolithic archaeology), GIS and making archaeology accessible, having also worked briefly in the museum industry and commercial archaeology.
References and resources:
HeritageGateway - Historic Environment Records, https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/gateway/chr/
Somerset HER, https://www.somersetheritage.org.uk/
Counties with an accessible online HER:
Yorkshire Dales
Wiltshire and Swindon
Warwickshire
Tyne and Wear
Tees
Surrey
Suffolk
Staffordshire
South Gloucester
Somerset
Shropshire
Peterborough City
Oxfordshire
Northumberland
Northamptonshire
North Somerset
Norfolk
North-East Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincoln
Lake District
Kent
Herefordshire
Hampshire
Exmoor
Exeter
East Sussex
Durham
Derbyshire
Cumbria
Cheshire
City of York
Buckinghamshire
Bristol City
Birmingham
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