This guidance describes a method of recording historic buildings for the purpose of historical understanding using analytical site drawing and measuring by hand. The techniques described here have a long tradition of being used to aid understanding by observation and close contact with building fabric. They can be used by all involved in making records of buildings of all types and ages, but are particularly useful for vernacular buildings and architectural details which are crucial to the history of a building or site. . Record drawings are best used alongside other recording techniques such as written reports and photography or to supplement digital survey data. They can also be used as a basis for illustrations that disseminate understanding to wider audiences.

This guidance document covers the use of geoarchaeology to assist in understanding the archaeological record. Geoarchaeological techniques may range in scale from landscape studies to microscopic analysis, and are carried out by practitioners with specialist knowledge about the physical environment in which archaeological stratigraphy is preserved, and excavations take place. The main aim is usually to understand site formation processes, but there may also be issues concerning site preservation, refining field interpretations of archaeological contexts and identifying changes in the physical landscape through time.

This guidance document provides an introduction to the ways that the archaeological evidence for metalworking is studied. Archaeometallurgical evidence can include whole landscapes, buildings, features, artefacts and waste materials (eg slag and crucibles). Archaeometallurgy includes fieldwork investigations (survey and excavation) and the subsequent study of these data as well as any artefacts and residues recovered. Scientific approaches provide insights into the techniques used to produce different metals and how these were fabricated into artefacts.

This document provides practical guidance on how to investigate sites where pottery production has taken place. It describes how to anticipate and locate pottery production sites and the types of evidence that may be found. This document also provides advice on the available methods and strategies for examining, recording and sampling features and finds of various types at each stage of the work. The different techniques for establishing the date of pottery production, and for characterising the products of a site, are given particular emphasis. This document was compiled by Harriet White, Sarah Paynter and Duncan Brown with contributions by Joanne Best, Chris Cumberpatch, David Dawson, Peter Ellis, Jane Evans, Laurence Jones, Oliver Kent, Gareth Perry, The Prince's Regeneration Trust, Ian Roberts, Kerry Tyler and Ann Woodward.

This illustrated history portrays one of England's finest major cities and some of its county towns and villages. It provides a nostalgic look at Leicester's past and highlights the special character of some of its most important historic sites. The photographs are taken from the Historic England Archive, a unique collection of over 12 million photographs, drawings, plans and documents covering England's archaeology, architecture, social and local history. Pictures date from the earliest days of photography to the present and cover subjects from Bronze Age burials and medieval churches to cinemas and seaside resorts. Historic England: Leicester shows the city as it once was, from its churches, parks, streets and alleyways to its Victorian mills and textile factories. Leicester has been at the very heart of the country's political and economic development for over two millennia. Evidence of Roman occupation remains at the Jewry Wall, Cardinal Wolsey lies buried in Leicester Abbey and, in 2012, the skeleton of Richard III was discovered lying beneath a car park. The city grew rapidly in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries with the construction of the Grand Union Canal and the arrival of the railway. These developments encouraged and accompanied a process of industrialisation which intensified throughout the Victorian era; hosiery, textiles, and footwear became the major industrial employers. Today, Leicester is a major distribution centre and has attracted new service and manufacturing businesses through its academic-industrial connections with the engineering departments at Leicester University, De Montfort University and nearby Loughborough University. Leicester remains one of the country's most important cities and this book will help you discover its colourful and fascinating history.

The purpose of this Historic England Good Practice Advice note is to provide information to assist local authorities, planning and other consultants, owners, applicants and other interested parties in implementing historic environment policy in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the related guidance given in the National Planning Practice Guide (PPG). While it supports the implementation of national policy it does not constitute a statement of Government policy itself, nor does it seek to prescribe a single methodology or particular data sources. Alternative approaches may be equally acceptable, provided they are demonstrably compliant with legislation, national policies and objectives.

This photographic guide will assist scientists working with archaeological plant or insect remains in the identification of calcium-phosphate replaced biological remains. Diagnostic criteria and images are presented for the most commonly occurring taxa found as mineralised remains in cesspits, drains and middens, dating from the prehistoric to post-medieval periods . Phosphatic mineralisation primarily preserves soft tissues and often results in the loss of diagnostic features typically seen in other types of preservation, particularly of the thickened, protective outer layers (pericarps and seed coats) of fruits and seeds. For insect remains this type of preservation primarily favours fly (Diptera) pupae and puparia. High quality photographic images are presented, for the most part using mineralised archaeological material. High magnification images of specific structures and cell layers (magnifications of up to x160) are included where appropriate. Variations of potential preservation are illustrated where possible. Identification criteria for each taxon is highlighted, along with examples of archaeological sites which yielded mineralised material, information on modern ecology and interpretative value of each taxon.

The diversity of England's Protected Wreck Sites reflects the wealth of maritime heritage preserved under the sea and around our coast. These sites provide a valuable source of evidence for a wide range of past activities, and not just of those on or in the sea. These guidelines are intended to support individuals or groups wishing to access and/or develop projects on wreck sites designated under Section 1 of the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 in the English Territorial Sea. The role of a voluntary Licensee and his or her team is essential to the system that helps manage the most significant historic wrecks in our territorial sea. As Licensees are effectively voluntary custodians for these important sites; this has been recognised by Historic England awarding Affiliated Volunteer Status to Licensees and their teams. This guidance has been updated to reflect changes to the way the protected wreck licensing system is administered, recognise the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 and publication of the UK Marine Policy Statement in 2011. The guidance forms the approach recommended for work on all historic wreck sites in England, not just those designated under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973.

Roofing looks at traditional roof coverings used on historic buildings. Many materials and systems have been used to provide roof coverings, and the book provides information about their technological evolution, the processes causing deterioration, and ways of assessing problems and solutions. Repairs, maintenance and conflicts with modern practices are also covered.

This Project Planning Note is intended to cover the taking of oblique aerial photographs of the historic environment. It includes advice on planning and carrying out aerial reconnaissance projects and lists relevant sources of further information. This Project Planning Note is intended to be read in conjunction with the MoRPHE Project Managers Guide which gives generic guidance on project management.

This advice is aimed at members of the general public and those wishing to undertake a project directed at an archaeological or historic site in England in the marine and coastal area. This advice will help readers gain a better understanding of where to find relevant information on marine licensing, the types of activities that require a marine licence and those activities that are exempt. It also sets out further information on what is required to support a marine licence application with regard to a project design. This document updates the EH advice note Marine Licensing and Underwater and Forshore Archaeology (2012). This revised advice includes more detail on where to find important and relevant information on marine licensing and what detail to include to support a marine licence application.

These guidelines focus on physical access issues because these often pose the greatest challenges as well as opportunities for historic buildings. Other issues such as lighting, tone, colour contrast and signing are touched upon, while acknowledging the excellent guidance on these aspects of good access design which exists elsewhere. The guidance also focuses on the challenges and constraints posed by buildings whose function is not directly related to their historic status - shops, offices and civic buildings - rather than those preserved and opened to the public purely as historic attractions. Although the guidelines are relevant to both categories of building the latter raise significant issues in relation to interpretation (sometimes referred to as intellectual access), which are largely beyond the scope of this document. This document replaces our 2004 edition.

We know that the risk of flooding is likely to increase as a result of a changing climate and the effects of increased urban development. Estimates suggest the number of people at high risk from flooding could rise from 1.5 million to 3.5 million by 2080. Currently around 400,000 homes and 75,000 businesses in England are located in areas where there is a significant annual chance of river or coastal flooding (greater than a 1.3 per cent annual chance, or once every 75 years on average). More homes are at risk from surface water, groundwater or sewer flooding, which is much harder to predict than river or coastal flooding. Many of these buildings were built before 1919 and are therefore likely to be of historic interest. As well as damage to property and infrastructure, flooding results in a significant human cost. Not only do householders lose possessions and suffer damage to their properties when there is a flood, but often they are also forced to endure the disruption and stress caused by several months of evacuation. Since the 2007 floods there have been major consultations and reviews undertaken by government and other regulatory organisations and a much greater recognition of the need for coordinated flood-risk management at a local level. This was a particular emphasis of the Pitt Review, Learning the Lessons from the 2007 Floods (2008) and the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ (Defra) ongoing programme Making Space for Water, which takes a holistic approach to the management of risk from all forms of flooding (river, coastal, groundwater, surface run-off and sewer) to help deliver sustainable development. This need for a more comprehensive management of flood risk for people, houses and businesses has been incorporated into the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. Integrated flood-risk management is essential if the historic environment is to be protected from flood damage, and effective communication between all those involved is therefore vital in securing the appropriate response. Co-operation with national agencies such as the Environment Agency is key to managing risks at a local level. Local Flood Resilience Forums also now have a very important role in helping manage the risks as well as providing integrated emergency management.

This guidance note provides advice on the methods, materials and risks involved with insulating solid ground floors. The energy savings resulting from insulating solid ground floors can in many cases be of marginal benefit when the cost and disruption to the building fabric are considered. Insulating other building elements is likely to produce greater benefits in energy efficiency for significantly less cost. This is partly because a typical solid floor already provides a degree of insulation, but mainly because the ground beneath maintains a stable temperature of around 10 degrees C. However, where an existing floor is being taken up, replaced or repaired, then it can be worth making use of the opportunity to improve its thermal performance. Solid ground floors can be a significant part of the history and character of an older building, so taking up floors and excavating below to install insulation can be potentially damaging to valuable historic fabric. Even where the floor finish is of no particular historic significance, any alterations to the floor structure beneath need to take account of potential buried historic features and archaeology, which can be of particular significance in churches. If the property is listed all such work will most likely require listed building consent. Insulating solid ground floors will alter the performance characteristics of the floor structure. There can be a risk of exacerbating any existing moisture-related problems and causing problems in adjacent construction, such as diverting moisture up into the outside walls. Introducing impermeable damp proof membranes and materials into the floor structure which are highly resistant to the passage of moisture, are often not compatible with the traditional construction techniques used in older buildings. This guidance forms one of a series of thirteen guidance notes covering the thermal upgrading of building elements such as roofs, walls and floors.

This illustrated history portrays one of England's most fascinating regions - the Black Country in the West Midlands. It provides a nostalgic look at the area's past and highlights the special character of some of its most important historic sites. The photographs are taken from the Historic England Archive, a unique collection of over 12 million photographs, drawings, plans and documents covering England's archaeology, architecture, social and local history. Pictures date from the earliest days of photography to the present and cover subjects from Bronze Age burials and medieval churches to cinemas and seaside resorts. The Black Country has long been an important region in England. The towns and villages west of Birmingham around Dudley, Wolverhampton, Sandwell and Walsall prospered from its rich mineral resources from medieval times, particularly through coal mining and ironworking. These towns were at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution in Britain and by the eighteenth century the area was continuously built up and the site of intensive industry and manufacturing. In the latter part of the twentieth century coal mining in the Black Country rapidly declined and heavy industry and manufacturing moved away. Though the landscape has changed rapidly due to the regeneration of the area in subsequent decades, the Black Country's unique heritage has not been lost.

This guidance note provides advice on the methods, materials and risks involved with insulating the walls of timber-framed buildings. Making improvements can improve comfort for occupants as well as lowering fuel bills and carbon emissions. However, such improvements can raise significant technical and conservation issues. Timber-framed buildings are a striking feature in many of England's towns, villages and farmsteads. Examples can date back to the 12th century but most have 16th century origins. They continued to be built up to the 19th century in rural parts of the country. Many timber-framed buildings retain significant fabric and finishes, such as wall paintings and historic wattle and daub. Any repair or improvement should be devised to minimise the risk of harm to the historic fabric. Often the timber-frame might be concealed by historic claddings, such as render, slate or tile-hanging and weatherboarding. Alternatively, the timber-frame can be fully exposed with infill panels of render, wattle and daub or brickwork. Some timber-frames are completely concealed behind masonry. Internally the timber-frame can be concealed behind lath and plaster or exposed with plastered infill panels. The variations found within this building type add considerably to their charm and character. There are instances where wall insulation may be acceptable. However, this should only occur after a thoroughly detailed assessment has been made of the particular building, taking into account the often complex performance characteristics. Any solutions may need to adapt to take account of the significance, orientation, exposure and condition of an individual wall. This guidance note forms one of a series of thirteen guidance notes covering the thermal upgrading of building elements such as roofs walls and floors.

This illustrated history portrays one of England's finest major cities. It provides a nostalgic look at Birmingham's past and highlights the special character of some of its most important historic sites. The photographs are taken from the Historic England Archive, a unique collection of over 12 million photographs, drawings, plans and documents covering England's archaeology, architecture, social and local history. Pictures date from the earliest days of photography to the present and cover subjects from Bronze Age burials and medieval churches to cinemas and seaside resorts. Birmingham has long been an important centre in the West Midlands but during the Industrial Revolution it grew to become England's second city. The myriad of manufacturing businesses in Birmingham created a dynamic local economy and the city prospered. Although the town was heavily bombed in the Second World War and its infrastructure was badly damaged, the city was redeveloped post-war, with many areas being rebuilt from scratch. Birmingham continued to be regenerated in subsequent decades and today it is a powerful commercial city of international importance.

Mortars, Renders and Plasters provides a broad perspective of contemporary conservation theory and practice not otherwise found in one publication, describing the history, physical properties, and deterioration of these important materials. Methods of assessing condition and evaluating options for treatment and repair are discussed, together with a range of practical conservation techniques and maintenance strategies.

Glass and Glazing looks at the conservation of one of the most important building materials, and its use in windows, roofing and walling. It considers the technological evolution of glass and glazing systems, the processes causing deterioration, and the practical application and long-term implications of common conservation materials and methods, as well as of alterations to improve performance.

Timber deals with wide-ranging use of the material in historic buildings, from vast structural timber-frames through to high-class joinery and simple fixings. Particular attention is paid to how and why timber decays or faults occur, and the methods of assessing and dealing with this. The bulk of the book covers appropriate methods of repair and maintenance.