Historic Environment Record
Our Historic Environment Team manages Staffordshire's Historic Environment Record (HER), a database of over 21,000 archaeological sites and monuments, historic buildings and historic landscapes across the county. The HER also has information on archaeological interventions (such as excavations and surveys) and provides an index to a wide range of sources on the county's historic environment.
Historic Environment Record requests for research or local interest
The HER can be accessed online via the Heritage Gateway website and some information is also available through our online mapping system. Requests for more detailed information or specialist research can be emailed to her@staffordshire.gov.uk.
We also welcome visitors to carry out research at our offices, although in order to ensure that we can provide access to all relevant information it is recommended that appointments be booked with the Historic Environment Record Officer at least 48 hours in advance.
Commercial Historic Environment Record requests
Requests for commercial HER searches and property checks should now be submitted and paid for online via our 'developer online advice / data request form'. We provide two levels of commercial HER requests:
Basic Property Check (£29.00)
A property check will assess an individual site or property against the HER and identify any associated designations or undesignated Heritage Assets (e.g. is the property or site scheduled, listed or within a conservation area etc; are there any other specific archaeological or historical associations). A certificate will be issued providing a summary of any relevant information.
Where no known historic environment interests are identified this will be acknowledged on the certificate.
No advice relating to the potential planning implications of any designations or associations will be provided as part of this service. If you require planning advice, or other curatorial services please see our 'Historic Environment Advice and Guidance' pages
Full HER Data Request (£92)
Full HER data requests will include information on the following (where available and relevant): Monuments, Events, Listed Buildings, Scheduled Monuments, Registered Parks and Gardens, Registered Battlefields, Conservation Areas, Historic Landscape Characterisation, Extensive Urban Surveys, Historic Environment Assessments and National Mapping Programme data.
The data will be supplied as a series of detailed PDF reports plus associated GIS data or PDF mapping (as required) and will relate to a site/property plus the specified surrounding search radius (typically 1 km). It would be helpful if, when submitting your request, you could specify what search radius you require and in what format you would like the HER data supplied.
For planning/development management purposes, such as producing a Heritage Statement or a Historic Environment Desk-based Assessment, utilising the Heritage Gateway website in lieu of a HER search, which is a requirement of the NPPF, is not acceptable as Heritage Gateway is not considered to be a full or up-to-date record of the information held by the HER.
(Please note that we do not provide HER data or planning advice for the Stoke-on-Trent Unitary Authority area, please contact Stoke on Trent City Council HER directly for such requests).