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Historic Environment Record

The Kent Historic Environment Record (HER) is a database of heritage information for Kent and Medway. It includes:

  • archaeological sites
  • historic buildings
  • heritage features
  • research activities.

It is used for research, education, community activities and to inform development work.

A version of the database is available online but it is not suitable for professional research.

Search the Historic Environment Record

Research

Information for research, education or community use is free. If you need more detailed information, email heritage@kent.gov.uk.

Commercial orders

For security reasons, not all of the information we have is in the online database. We also have many other datasets that are important for professional research, including:

  • archaeological notification areas (where available)
  • conservation areas
  • cropmark data
  • events
  • historic landscape character data
  • location of archaeological reports
  • monuments
  • Palaeolithic character data (Medway Valley Palaeolithic Project and Stour Basin Palaeolithic Project)
  • protected military remains
  • protected wreck sites
  • registered and historic parks and gardens
  • scheduled monuments
  • World Heritage Sites.

We can provide the data as an ESRI shapefile or as a labelled JPEG, both with PDF reports.

Charges and timescales

Our charges cover staff time, the related overheads involved in supplying the information and the provision of a re-use licence so that the data and maps can be included in your reports.

Find out about our charges and timescales. Priority requests are subject to availability.

Ways to pay

We prefer online payment in advance by:

  • debit card
  • credit card
  • a digital wallet (for example Apple Pay or Google Pay).

This makes our service more efficient and means we can respond more quickly.

If you prefer to pay by invoice, there's an additional administration charge of £30 per invoice. You'll also need to provide a valid purchase order number that will be accepted by your finance department. We reserve the right to withdraw the option to pay by invoice if you pay late or fail to supply a valid purchase order number.

Place an order

Step 1

Email heritage@kent.gov.uk with the following details:

  • the type of enquiry (whether it's for commercial development, forestry, countryside stewardship, utilities etc.)
  • the location of your search
  • the area of your search (by providing the radius around a certain point or by sending a map or shapefile showing the search area)
  • whether you want a priority search.

We will then reply with a quote and a Quotation Reference Number (QRN) which you'll need to submit your order.

Step 2

Place a Historic Environment Record order

After you order

Once you've completed your order, you'll get a confirmation email and a receipt for your payment if you paid online. Your confirmation email will also confirm how quickly we'll get the information to you.

Get in touch

If you have any questions about the Historic Environment Record or ordering additional datasets, email heritage@kent.gov.uk.