Sites and Monuments Record
Encyclopedia
Each County
or Unitary Authority
in the United Kingdom
maintains a 'Sites and Monuments Record' or SMR, consisting of a list of known archaeological
sites. Many SMRs are now developing into much broader Historic Environment Records (HERs), including information on historic buildings and designed landscapes. Each record lists the location, type and period of site, along with a brief description and information on the location of more detailed sources of information such as site reports. This information is most commonly used to help inform decisions on the likelihood of new development affecting archaeological deposits. Government guidance (PPG 16
and SPP in Scotland) requires local authorities to consider archaeology a material consideration
in determining planning applications and the SMR aids this consideration.
While mentioned in guidance, there is no statutory requirement for local authorities to fund an SMR (although this was a provision in the England and Wales Heritage Protection Bill) and there is great variety in implementation across the UK. Some SMRs are simple card indexes, others are command line Unix
databases and others are more modern and GIS
-based. They provide an enormously useful resource but are not always fully exploited or appreciated by the public. Efforts to place SMRs on-line have met with success in certain parts of Britain, although some archaeologists have voiced concern that making vulnerable sites better known to the public endangers them further, especially through illicit metal-detecting
. The contrary argument is that informing the public of historic sites near them will in fact increase protection, as local people will take pride in their cultural heritage
and seek to protect it. In 2007, an updated version of best practice guidance for HERs "Informing the Future of the Past: Guidelines for Historic Environment Records" has been made available on-line.
Members of the public can usually consult their local SMR, or request a search be undertaken on their behalf, and they are commonly used by local historian
s, archaeological organisations and academics. An increasing number of SMRs and HERs are becoming available to search on-line, in England particularly via the Heritage Gateway. In Scotland, the PASTMAP website presents comprehensive national datasets on monument
s, buildings, gardens and designed landscapes, wrecks
, and an increasing number of local records.
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
or Unitary Authority
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
maintains a 'Sites and Monuments Record' or SMR, consisting of a list of known archaeological
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
sites. Many SMRs are now developing into much broader Historic Environment Records (HERs), including information on historic buildings and designed landscapes. Each record lists the location, type and period of site, along with a brief description and information on the location of more detailed sources of information such as site reports. This information is most commonly used to help inform decisions on the likelihood of new development affecting archaeological deposits. Government guidance (PPG 16
PPG 16
Planning Policy Guidance 16: Archaeology and Planning commonly abbreviated as PPG 16, was a document produced by the British Government to advise local planning authorities on the treatment of archaeology within the planning process...
and SPP in Scotland) requires local authorities to consider archaeology a material consideration
Material consideration
A material consideration in the UK is a process in Planning Law in which the decision maker when assessing an application for development must consider in deciding the outcome of an application....
in determining planning applications and the SMR aids this consideration.
While mentioned in guidance, there is no statutory requirement for local authorities to fund an SMR (although this was a provision in the England and Wales Heritage Protection Bill) and there is great variety in implementation across the UK. Some SMRs are simple card indexes, others are command line Unix
Unix
Unix is a multitasking, multi-user computer operating system originally developed in 1969 by a group of AT&T employees at Bell Labs, including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Brian Kernighan, Douglas McIlroy, and Joe Ossanna...
databases and others are more modern and GIS
Geographic Information System
A geographic information system, geographical information science, or geospatial information studies is a system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present all types of geographically referenced data...
-based. They provide an enormously useful resource but are not always fully exploited or appreciated by the public. Efforts to place SMRs on-line have met with success in certain parts of Britain, although some archaeologists have voiced concern that making vulnerable sites better known to the public endangers them further, especially through illicit metal-detecting
Metal detector
A metal detector is a device which responds to metal that may not be readily apparent.The simplest form of a metal detector consists of an oscillator producing an alternating current that passes through a coil producing an alternating magnetic field...
. The contrary argument is that informing the public of historic sites near them will in fact increase protection, as local people will take pride in their cultural heritage
Cultural heritage
Cultural heritage is the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes of a group or society that are inherited from past generations, maintained in the present and bestowed for the benefit of future generations...
and seek to protect it. In 2007, an updated version of best practice guidance for HERs "Informing the Future of the Past: Guidelines for Historic Environment Records" has been made available on-line.
Members of the public can usually consult their local SMR, or request a search be undertaken on their behalf, and they are commonly used by local historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
s, archaeological organisations and academics. An increasing number of SMRs and HERs are becoming available to search on-line, in England particularly via the Heritage Gateway. In Scotland, the PASTMAP website presents comprehensive national datasets on monument
Monument
A monument is a type of structure either explicitly created to commemorate a person or important event or which has become important to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, or simply as an example of historic architecture...
s, buildings, gardens and designed landscapes, wrecks
Shipwreck
A shipwreck is what remains of a ship that has wrecked, either sunk or beached. Whatever the cause, a sunken ship or a wrecked ship is a physical example of the event: this explains why the two concepts are often overlapping in English....
, and an increasing number of local records.