Historic environment record

We cover Historic environment records, information, interpretation and analysis, which includes former Sites and Monuments Record.

The main services we provide are

The Historic Environment Record (HER)

- a public record which contains information on all known archaeological sites, historic buildings and historic landscape features in the county. The HER includes written information, plans, illustrations, and aerial and other photographs. It is the core information source for Bedfordshire's historic environment and is used by this Council and other local authorities, planners, developers, consultants, schools, colleges and the public. Advice is given on using the Record, and on interpretation and analysis of the historic landscape.

Contact: Stephen Coleman| or Sam Mellonie|.

or e-mail: bedfordshireher@bedscc.gov.uk|

Talks and walks

– on historic landscape and archaeology

Contact: Stephen Coleman|

Advice to Local Planning Authorities operating Hedgerows Regulations on the historic interest of hedgerows.

Contact: Stephen Coleman|

Local services provided by others include

Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records Service

This collects and preserves original historic and modern written evidence, maps and plans for Bedfordshire, including Luton. Millions of documents from 1166 to the present enable people to find out about local places, buildings, trade, industry and the historic physical and social environment. Access to the archives is provided through a public searchroom.

Bedfordshire Heritage Library| (new window) within Bedford Central Library holds a variety of historic published and printed sources for Bedfordshire, including trade directories, old county, town and village histories, topographical works, early journals and magazines, bound volumes of newspapers and county maps.

Bedford Museum| (new window) and Luton Museum| (new window) deal with Bedfordshire's archaeology and social history through their collections and public displays. They help identify archaeological finds along with the Finds Liaison Officer and also provide outreach and educational services.

Other useful organisations or sources include:

The Council for British Archaeology promotes the study and safeguarding of Britain's historic environment, works to increase public interest in and knowledge of Britain's past, and provides a forum for archaeological opinion and links to many other national and local organisations

English Heritage| (new window) is the Government's statutory advisory body for the historic environment. It manages hundreds of historic sites, awards grants, gives advice on Scheduled Ancient Monuments and Listed Buildings, and publishes archaeological reports and technical advice notes.

The National Monuments Record| (new window) is a national resource for the historic environment maintained by English Heritage. It includes information on archaeological sites and historic buildings countrywide besides holding large collections of photographs, especially aerial. 

The Archaeology Data Service| (new window) provides long term preservation of archaeological data in digital form and makes it available over the internet. Sources include archaeological reports, excavation and other fieldwork archives, reference collections, databases and digitised journals.

Albion Archaeology| (new window) is the County Council's archaeological fieldwork contractor which carries out archaeological projects in Bedfordshire and the surrounding region. They hold and maintain the Ceramic Type Series for the county.

Bedfordshire Archaeological Council provides a forum for archaeological societies and bodies in the county to meet together, both amateur and professional. It publishes and distributes the archaeological journal for the county, Bedfordshire Archaeology.

Bedfordshire Local History Association| (new window) promotes the study of local history within and around the county. It provides a forum for discussion and co-operation between interested groups and individuals, publishes a newsletter and runs a variety of events:

Bedfordshire Historical Record Society| (new window) publishes material on the history of Bedfordshire, including articles, monographs and a wide variety of original records relating to the county: 

Bedfordshire Virtual Library| (new window) is an online guide to resources, including for local history and archaeology, which are available in Bedfordshire Libraries:

The main contacts for our services are:

Stephen Coleman
|Historic Environment Information Officer
Tel: (01234) 228072 

Sam Mellonie|
Technical Officer
Tel: (01234) 228088

Heritage and Environment Service
Bedfordshire County Council
County Hall
Cauldwell Street
Bedford
MK42 9AP

More information on the Historic Environment Record

The Historic Environment Record (HER) is a core information source for every aspect of Bedfordshire's historic environment and contains information on all known archaeological sites, historic buildings and historic landscape features in the county.

The Record has a wide range of uses and is available to everyone. We will advise on whether the Record can help and show you how you can get the most out of it.

The HER holds information on more than 18,200 items of all periods from the earliest human activity (125,000 years ago) to World War II, including stray finds and industrial remains. All Scheduled Ancient Monuments and Listed Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest are recorded together with Registered and other historic parks and gardens. Buried remains and demolished buildings are also included.

Locations are marked on Ordnance Survey maps at scales of 1:10000 or 1:2500 and a digital mapping facility is being developed. Summary information held on computer can be searched to produce lists or indexes sorted by period, area, site type or theme, or a combination of these criteria.

The bulk of the Record consists of record cards with fully referenced textual information derived from a wide range of bibliographic, documentary and other sources, including survey and excavation reports. Information on the development of Bedfordshire's historic landscape in general is also available in the form of parish surveys, presented as archive essays and maps.

Photographs (over 45,000) and slides (over 7,600) and digital images are also held, together with historic and modern maps and plans. A collection of aerial photographs includes over 2,200 oblique views from a variety of sources and over 3,000 vertical prints of the county taken by the RAF, mainly during the later 1940's. More recent countywide vertical aerial photography for a number of years is also held in the Section.

Additional information and newly identified sites or features are continually being added to the Record, from aerial survey, planning casework, documentary research and fieldwork (including fieldwalking, survey and excavation by both professional archaeologists and local societies or individuals).

The Record can be consulted in person at County Hall by prior appointment during normal office hours, Monday to Friday. If it is not possible to visit, written, telephone or e-mail enquiries may be dealt with depending on the nature and quantity of the information required and subject to payment for any photocopies. We may charge for dealing with commercial requests.

You may wish to read a copy of the  Historic Environment Record user guide| (PDF document opens in new window).

Please contact Stephen Coleman| or Sam Mellonie| to arrange to visit or for more information and advice.