69:
1047:
36:
135:, slate mines and quarries in Wales However, buildings could not be protected in this way, so steps were taken to collect architectural plans, drawings, photographs and other records. The RCHME worked closely with the NBR to carry out the extensive photographic recording of the towns in the eastern and southern counties at risk from enemy action.
127:, its first director, "to meet the dangers of war then threatening many buildings of national importance". Between the declaration of war in 1939 and the first London air-raids in 1940 many moveable works of art, archives and antiquities were evacuated to the relative safety of the countryside. For example, the contents of the
188:) as well as continued recording of architectural details such as glass, fixtures and fittings, woodwork and sculpture. The 1950s also saw the start of aerial photography to discover and record ancient sites, as more intensive agriculture, forestry and gravel extraction threatened historic remains on "marginal land".
386:
in
England, organised as two distinct collections – oblique and vertical – each acquired from different sources. More than 680,000 oblique (taken at an angle to the ground) aerial photographs of locations throughout England are available on open access in the Historic England Archive search rooms.
319:
The
Historic England Archive holds information on over 70,000 individual buildings, as photographs, drawings, notes, reports from the Royal Commission on Historical Monuments for England (RCHME) and from English Heritage fieldwork. In addition, it holds over 56,000 architectural drawings, including
157:
of Oxford; items from the
University of London and by quickly setting photographers to work recording buildings in London and other vulnerable areas. Over the next few years the NBR attracted donations from amateur photographers, people who possessed drawings and owners of collections of negatives.
95:
It is a public archive of architectural and archaeological records and holds over 12 million historic photographs, plans, drawings, reports, records and publications covering
England's archaeology, architecture, social and local history. It is a dynamic collection, with records being added to this
310:
excavation; and much more. There is also a specialist reference library. Although photographs form the largest proportion of the
Historic England Archive's holdings, collections also include plans of historic houses, reports, correspondence and digital files. All of this material is available for
280:
Its collections arose from a number of sources, including the work of national institutions concerned with the buildings and archaeology of
England, and from collections acquired from others. The collections are not only used by historians, architects and designers seeking inspiration but also by
168:
The recession of the late 1940s and early 1950s presented a different challenge from bombing, but no less severe. This time the destruction of significant buildings was due to deliberate demolition because the owners (through new inheritance taxation and shortage of building materials) could no
508:
The
Historic England Archive offers a remote enquiry service providing a comprehensive search for information on areas of interest. Search requests are handled free of charge provided they fall within standard search criteria (for example, a single building per enquiry).
237:
Archaeology
Division was transferred to the NBR/RCHME which greatly expanded the records available. These are now digitised and available through the PastScape website. In 1984 the NMR took over the responsibility for the National Library of Aerial Photographs from the
271:
In the late 2010s, the archive was reorganised, and the PastScape website is due to be decommissioned on 17 December 2020. Records that were previously available through PastScape will appear as
Historic England research records on the Heritage Gateway.
484:
For access to the wider archive, not just the material available online, it is possible to call, write or visit the
Historic England Archive in Swindon, Wiltshire. Although an appointment is not necessary, it is recommended to contact them in advance.
320:
plans, elevations, sketches and watercolours from the RCHME and other sources as well as many plans of English Heritage's properties. The original research material (notes, sketches and photographs) for RCHME inventory volumes are also in the archives.
391:
in 1946–48, whose Crown copyright expired 50 years after the images were created. These are available via a search request from the Archive Services Team. and many are online, via an "Aerial Photography EXplorer" launched in March 2022, which uses
226:. The expanding breadth of the archive is shown by the acquisition of Rev Denys Rokeby's collection of railway photographs, and H. E. S. Simmons's negatives of water and wind-mills, and John Maltby's collection of photographs of
203:) to denote the inclusion of archaeological and photographic records. During the 1960s, the importance of photographic records grew, and the archive acquired the surviving negatives of architectural photographer Harry
252:
In 1992 the commission's terms of reference was extended to include responsibility for creating a central national record of historic wrecks and other archaeological sites within the 12-mile coastal limit.
264:. In 2015 English Heritage was divided into two parts: those departments carrying out statutory and advisory functions became Historic England, and the archive, as part of the new body, was renamed the
396:
technology, which prevents users from saving images to a local drive, instead presenting an interstitial with the legend "This image is copyrighted". The 'Britain from Above' project, funded by the
374:
There are also more esoteric collections acquired from, or donated by, individuals who were particularly interested in specialist topics such as medieval stained glass, public parks or windmills.
165:
were important for the NBR as they meant that lists of buildings of architectural and historic importance were started, and the NBR had to be informed before an historic building was demolished.
245:
A further acquisition was the Industrial Monuments Survey, transferred from the Department of the Environment (DoE) in 1981. This was followed by the RCHME taking on responsibility for the
469:– database of all 400,000 nationally designated heritage assets i.e. listed buildings; scheduled monuments; protected wreck sites; registered battlefields and registered parks and gardens.
475:– a partnership with the Association of Local Government Archaeology Officers (ALGAO) and the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC) to share local records on listed buildings
192:
109:
463:– over 400,000 records on England's archaeological sites (including maritime sites) and architecture. With links to historic and modern maps and aerial photographs where available.
331:
The Historic England Archive contains photographic collections dating from the 1850s. These include country house albums by anonymous amateurs; famous photographers such as
387:
The archive also holds more than two million vertical (bird's-eye view) aerial photographs, covering the whole of England, including near-complete coverage taken by the
488:
In addition to accessing the collections, visitors to the Historic England Archive can also make use of the reference library. This includes the entire collection of
528:
574:
68:
219:
demonstrated the lack of regard there was at the time for (then) unfashionable Victorian architecture and the importance of keeping records of their existence.
146:), they were apparently deemed to be too small or narrowly focused for the sort of comprehensive venture that seemed necessary in the chaos of wartime Britain.
500:
magazines going back to the 19th century, both of which feature plans and photographs of thousands of homes, country estates, commercial and civic buildings.
936:
441:– Discover photos of English cities, towns and villages using this online version of the Architectural Red Box Collection from the Historic England Archive.
1094:
457:– over 300,000 contemporary photographs of England's listed buildings and monuments; based on the statutory list as it was in 2001, no longer updated
161:
By the end of the war the collection had grown to such size and importance that it was continued and was funded by the Treasury. The 1944 and 1947
1089:
112:(RCHME) which was set up to compile and publish an inventory of all ancient and historical monuments up to the year 1700 by county and by parish.
412:
The photographs taken by the RCHME and English Heritage survey teams, which range from workers' cottages to power stations, are also available.
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239:
359:. The earliest image in the archive taken by a woman (1864) is held amongst those by the many males, and joined in the collection by works of
518:
139:
435:– over a million free online catalogue descriptions of photographs and records of England's buildings and heritage sites. No longer updated.
888:
648:
138:
Although there were other voluntary and academic bodies at the time that collected some architectural records (including the RCHME, the
323:
There is a selection of brochures advertising the sales of estate and properties across England from the late 19th and 20th centuries.
284:
The scope and content of the material is wide-ranging – modern and historic photography, including coverage of the whole of England in
523:
162:
696:
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longer afford to maintain them. In 1946 the RCHME work was extended to include the recording of 18th and 19th century architecture.
311:
public viewing and a substantial number of images from the Historic England Archive are now available online and free to access.
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578:
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438:
953:
306:'s personal index of late 19th century churches; the typescript report, photographs and drawings of Lt Col G W Meates's
754:
Sargent, Andrew (2001). ""RCHME" 1908–1998: a history of the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England".
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432:
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During the 1970s and 1980s the NMR increased its recording of industrial and commercial building records as well as
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The initial core of the collection was formed by the Conway Library of architectural photographs held by the
993:
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216:
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901:'English Heritage Archives', Your Family History magazine, Christmas 2010, Wharncliffe Publishing Limited
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738:'RCHM England Annual Report 1998/9 A history and final report'; RCHME Crown copyright; ISSN 1350-407X
773:
150:
383:
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371:, Ursula Clark, Marjory L Wight, Katherine J Macfee, Mary Theodora Pollit, and Patricia Payne.
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family history researchers looking for photographs of where their ancestors lived and worked.
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242:, together with two million RAF and Ordnance Survey oblique and vertical aerial photographs.
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Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.
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Approximately 20% of the archive, i.e. over 2 million records, can be searched online.
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332:
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714:"Saving Time:A review of the conservation movement in Britain in the 20th century"
88:, located in The Engine House on Fire Fly Avenue in Swindon, formerly part of the
368:
356:
336:
212:
154:
302:; the Council of British Archaeology's Industrial Archaeology index; Professor
1052:
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472:
447:– a unique archive of historical aerial photographs across Britain, from the
448:
401:
798:
978:
17:
81:
1055:– national and local records of England's historic sites and buildings
691:. Beckenham: Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England.
444:
207:(1864–1944) of houses, public buildings and interior decoration. (The
172:
In the 1950s the NBR archive acquisitions included the collections of
842:"The Preservation Of The Built Environment 1970–1999 section 3.4.3"
601:"PastScape – information on England's archaeology and architecture"
108:
The roots of the archive go back to 1908 and the foundation of the
575:"New photography acquisition – capturing local and family history"
382:
The Historic England Archive holds the largest public archive of
47:. The reason given is: Needs the post-Pastscape changes updated..
866:
211:
holds another large section of his work.) The demolition of the
1061:– images for learning, resources for teachers, archived in 2008
123:), an independent body set up in 1940 under the inspiration of
100:
website allows searching of over 420,000 records (as of 2016).
404:
aerial image negatives from 1919 to 1953 and put them online.
388:
29:
43:
Parts of this article (those related to History) need to be
608:
400:, completed digitisation and cataloguing of 95,000 of the
975:"Historic England: 100 years of aerial images go online"
249:
following the abolition of the Greater London Council.
193:
Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England
110:
Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England
288:; information on most known archaeological sites and
260:
in April 1999. In April 2012 the NMR was renamed the
153:
of Art; the negatives of the Victorian photographer
937:
Women Photographers in the Historic England Archive
343:; commercial photographers like Miller and Harris,
689:50 Years of the National Building Record 1941–1991
649:"How Winston Churchill saved the National Gallery"
195:(RCHME) in 1963. The name was then changed to the
176:(medieval architecture and vernacular buildings);
115:Its more immediate forerunner, however, was the
72:The Historic England Archive building in Swindon
529:National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens
748:
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744:
756:Transactions of the Ancient Monuments Society
8:
795:"John Betjeman's battle for the Euston Arch"
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367:, Eileen 'Dusty' Deste, Margaret Tomlinson,
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256:The RCHME, including the NMR, merged with
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635:The National Monuments Record (England)
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873:from the original on 23 November 2020.
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467:The National Heritage List for England
339:; architectural photographers such as
891:from the original on 7 December 2020.
647:Bosman, Suzanne (21 September 2008).
519:National Monuments Record of Scotland
140:Royal Institute of British Architects
7:
607:. Historic England. Archived from
524:National Monuments Record of Wales
27:Public archive in Swindon, England
25:
1095:Organizations established in 1940
355:; and the Thames Valley views of
34:
917:"Drawings, plans and documents"
821:"HE Archive Aerial Photography"
428:The main online resources are:
315:Buildings, drawings and surveys
1090:Organisations based in Swindon
577:. 13 June 2011. Archived from
163:Town and Country Planning Acts
92:of the Great Western Railway.
1:
1080:Heritage registers in England
240:Department of the Environment
885:"About the Heritage Gateway"
774:"Bedford Lemere photographs"
191:The NBR was merged with the
1111:
1015:"Historic England Archive"
554:"Historic England Archive"
433:Historic England Archives
300:Victoria County Histories
197:National Monuments Record
180:(photographs of tombs in
117:National Buildings Record
308:Lullingstone Roman villa
266:Historic England Archive
262:English Heritage Archive
209:National Maritime Museum
78:Historic England Archive
341:Bedford Lemere & Co
144:London Survey Committee
992:D Wiles (4 May 2011).
867:"Welcome to PastScape"
451:collection (1919–2006)
73:
1075:Archives in Wiltshire
398:Heritage Lottery Fund
71:
994:"Picturing our past"
887:. Historic England.
869:. Historic England.
581:on 10 September 2015
327:Historic photographs
847:. National Archives
685:Summerson, Sir John
653:The Daily Telegraph
497:Architects' Journal
292:; complete sets of
215:and City of London
182:St Paul's Cathedral
151:Courtauld Institute
445:Britain from Above
408:Survey photographs
384:aerial photographs
378:Aerial photographs
286:aerial photographs
74:
1059:Heritage Explorer
801:on 3 October 2011
480:Personal visitors
455:Images of England
186:Westminster Abbey
64:
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16:(Redirected from
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1085:Historic England
1053:Heritage Gateway
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1041:Official website
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504:Archive services
473:Heritage Gateway
439:England's Places
421:Online resources
349:Helmut Gernsheim
290:listed buildings
258:English Heritage
247:Survey of London
178:Helmut Gernsheim
129:National Gallery
86:Historic England
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357:Henry Taunt
337:Bill Brandt
213:Euston Arch
155:Henry Taunt
1069:Categories
540:References
394:SmartFrame
298:magazine;
461:PastScape
449:Aerofilms
402:Aerofilms
98:PastScape
96:day. The
55:June 2024
18:PastScape
1020:23 April
979:BBC News
959:23 April
922:23 April
889:Archived
871:Archived
826:23 April
762:: 57–80.
615:12 March
585:23 April
559:23 April
513:See also
345:John Gay
276:Contents
142:and the
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851:21 July
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719:20 July
658:19 July
104:History
82:archive
45:updated
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845:(PDF)
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693:ISBN
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201:NMR
121:NBR
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