Historic Environment Record

North Somerset’s Historic Environment Record (NSHER) holds over 40,000 computerised records. It is used to inform planning and development decisions, as well as providing a useful tool for researchers interested in the physical evidence of the past.

We hold the following information:

• designated heritage assets, including listed buildings, scheduled monuments and registered parks and gardens
• monuments
• events
• find spots
• historic landscape characterisations
• unpublished reports and notes (many are available digitally by visiting the Archaeology Data Service)

We have created a useful guide on how to use the online HER map:

You can also contact the Historic Environment Assistant and Principal Archaeologist for assistance by emailing DM.Archaeology@n-somerset.gov.uk.

We can tell you what records are held about the historic and archaeological importance of an area by carrying out a HER search. This includes:

• a summary of the number of records of each type within the search area
• a report of all those records, provided as PDFs
• GIS shapefiles of all records within the search area

We encourage enquiries from:

• commercial organisations for planning purposes
• students and local history/heritage groups
• anyone researching North Somerset’s historic environment

Please provide as much detail as possible when you ask for a search. We will need a map showing the area you’re interested in or an ordnance survey reference number.

If you have a shapefile of your study/search area, you can now upload this when completing the online form. We prefer this in ESRI format.

If you’re providing a grid reference, please specify how wide a search you need. We usually search a 500m or 1km radius.

We offer two services, as follows:

• a priority search (five working day turnaround) - £222 including VAT at the current rate
• a standard search (20 working day turnaround) - £156 including VAT at the current rate

HER data is supplied in digital format with a licence to reuse. Customers will need to sign and return this once the information has been requested.

GIS shapefiles will be provided with all search requests as standard. Let us know the type of shapefile you require on the request form (ESRI/MapInfo).