One concern has been foremost during the extensive programme of seminars and discussion groups generated by the need to produce research frameworks for the West Midlands. How do we maintain the momentum and create a research cycle where management and fieldwork priorities are informed by, and in turn inform, a research agenda?
The general consensus seems to be that the region’s Historic Environment Records (HERs), imperfect though they are, are the only tool we have which could realistically achieve this, but that they are incapable of performing this function in their present form. HERs have developed out of Sites and Monuments Records (SMRs). The name change is in recognition of the wider role which these records need to achieve to meet future requirements and aspirations. In particular it has become clear that without the development of HERs the information generated by fieldwork, prompted and informed by the developing research agendas, will be largely inaccessible and the impetus will be lost. HERs can be the catalyst to making a research agenda an essential and dynamic part of the process of data collection and synthesis.
We are all aware of the very real problems, not least lack of finances, which hinder or prevent development of SMRs/HERs. Because of this, it was felt important to agree a common vision and define a set of priorities which could be used to argue the case for moving forward. This document is an attempt to outline such a vision and priorities.
For the purposes of this document a SMR is considered to be a record containing a closely defined range of archaeological and heritage data whose collection policy is largely driven by its role within the planning process. For example data on buildings is often patchy and undefined. An HER is a record containing a wide range of archaeological, historical, heritage and non-heritage data and synthesis whose collection policy is driven by its role as provider of data useful to a wider range of users. Data on buildings is comprehensive and not limited to listed and locally listed examples.
SMRs have developed over the last 30 to 40 years, latterly primarily for development control purposes, ie to identify areas of archaeological interest in order that they can be considered during the planning control process. This focus, along with the limitations of the available technologies, has had a profound effect on the way information has been ordered within the various systems and on staffing and other resources.
The result has been records which provide basic descriptive and locational information but are often inconsistent within themselves and can vary considerably between local authorities.
The process of collecting region-wide data for the research framework seminars has highlighted the problems with the type of data held and the accuracy and ease with which one or more SMRs can be searched.
It is clear that old-style SMRs, with their emphasis on single buried archaeological sites, are too narrow in their remit. It is now recognised that such records should have a wider role as an academic and educational resource and for public enjoyment of, and involvement in, the historic landscape. They should become HERs.
The need to make this change has been recognised nationally (English Heritage 2000; English Heritage/ALGAO 2002). The Department of Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) undertook a consultation on the future of HERs. The results of the consultation were included in the Review of Heritage Protection: The Way Forward (DCMS 2004). In March 2007 the Heritage Protection White Paper was published (DCMS 2007). This proposed, amongst other things, enhancing local historic environment services by introducing a statutory requirement for local authorities to have access to Historic Environment Records. In response to the white paper The Archaeology Forum1 has identified the need for clear government guidance on the functions of a local authority historic environment service and a programme of training and capacity building to be in place in advance of the proposed legislation.
Assuming the draft Heritage Protection Bill becomes law, local authorities will have a statutory duty to maintain and enhance an HER for their area. This provides an unparalleled opportunity for HERs to become the central point for the storage, retrieval, dissemination and encouragement of research upon the historic environment as a whole. In order to do so, however, HERs need to develop the mechanisms to encourage and facilitate synthesis of data. This will greatly increase their power as a development control tool as well as enabling them to act as the focal point for research and education. Issues of operational systems need to be addressed but complex HERs cannot run themselves and more staff with the appropriate range of skills will be needed to deliver such a dynamic service. In the West Midlands region we aim to:
In order to achieve these aims we need to set a number of priorities for development. These break down into two groups; the first group are those that will allow all West Midlands HERS to meet the first and second stage HER performance measures (English Heritage and ALGAO 2002). Of particular importance in this region are:
Such work will create very much improved HERs but will not of itself help to create an information cycle which will push forward research in the West Midlands. For this to succeed a second group of priorities needs to be defined. These might be seen as a regional response to Benchmark 2.2b (English Heritage and ALGAO 2002, 6) which advocates ‘enhanced coverage…additional datasets… networked arrangements for shared access to distributed systems…collaborative projects creating multidisciplinary information resources with libraries, museums and record offices.’ These priorities are
All these priorities have staffing and financial implications which must be addressed by the local authorities but these mirror national aspirations and in some cases there are identified sources of funding available, for example, Heritage Lottery Funding and the Aggregates Levy.
We believe that the provision of high quality HER information for the entire region should be one of the major priorities of the West Midlands archaeological community. HERs should become pivotal in the creation of a research cycle within the West Midlands. Such a research cycle would mean that curatorial decisions are informed by a high level understanding of the resource and its potential; fieldwork and post-excavation is informed by an understanding of the context of any discoveries; and researchers at all levels can gain easy access to high quality data and synthesis.
The Archaeology Forum
The Archaeology Forum is a grouping of the key, non-governmental organisations concerned with archaeology in the UK. Its members include the Association of Local Government Archaeological Officers UK, The Council for British Archaeology, the Institute of Conservation, The Institute for Archaeologists, the Institute of Historic Building Conservation, The National Trust, the National Trust for Scotland, Rescue, the Society of Antiquaries of London, the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, the Standing Conference of Archaeological Unit Managers and the Society of Museum Archaeologists.
One of the problems of archaeological research in the 20th century was a tendency to concentrate on individual sites or groups of sites rather than the wider landscape. Increasingly towards the end of the century the need to look at the landscape of an area as a whole was recognised but tended to lead to a concentration on those landscapes regarded as particularly ‘special’.
The principles of Historic Landscape Characterisation (HLC) have been adopted to overcome both of these biases and have, since the mid 1990s, become increasingly accepted as a model for the analysis, management, protection and enhancement of the historic environment. Starting with Cornwall, English Heritage has encouraged the undertaking of, and largely financed, a series of HLC projects with the intention that there should eventually be national coverage. Initially there was a concentration on rural county areas but more recently similar studies have commenced in urban metropolitan areas, and areas with particular development pressure such as for new housing.
Within the West Midlands, HLC has been undertaken or is underway in Herefordshire, Shropshire (Fig 8.1), Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire. Additionally, a detailed Urban Historic Landscape Characterisation is underway for the Black Country.
HLC aims to look at the entire landscape, dividing it up into basic character types such as ‘woodland’ or ‘industrial’, etc. These are subdivided into narrower types such as ‘orchard’ or ‘metal works’. Time depth is added by describing previous landscape type as shown on historic mapping or by professional judgement, for example ‘quarry’, ‘former open field’, etc. (Fig 8.2) Computerised mapping (Geographic Information Systems – GIS) and a database is used, enabling the data to be analysed and presented in a wide variety of ways. Importantly no judgement is made at the initial stage about the value of one piece of land over another but, once the basic work is completed, areas with similar character types can be combined to form historic landscape areas or zones with policies defined to protect and enhance their local character and identity.
Properly applied HLC has a number of advantages over more traditional studies. In particular it ensures that the landscape of entire areas is studied to the same depth rather than particular areas being picked out and given priority. It has been all too easy in the past for the same special areas to be defined and given badges of honour and for adjacent areas to be ignored. In addition HLC by its very nature, and by its use of GIS, fits well with Central Government requirements for Regional Spatial Strategies and is already endorsed as a technique for planning in European, National and Regional legislation.
What does this mean for the West Midlands archaeological community? No one is pretending that the technique itself is particularly revolutionary. Historical geographers in particular have been dividing areas up into character zones for many years. However, its widespread use will make it easy to compare and contrast historic settlement areas throughout the region, and its widespread endorsement will make it easier to protect and enhance the local character and identity of our region. Archaeological and historical research which can be tied in to characterisation should find it easier to attract funding.
What can we do?
Part of the Research Frameworks Network