Updated: 21 June, 2005
© RESCUE

Response by RESCUE - The British Archaeological Trust
to the English Heritage consultation paper;
Review of the National Monuments Record

Please select the category that most accurately describes your role:

	Government department/ agency			User of the NMR for private purposes
	HER (SMR) or UAD			Higher/further education student
	Local Authority Planning Officer			Higher/further education teacher
	Conservation Officer			Secondary school teacher
	Local society/amenity group			Primary school teacher
*	National society/amenity group			Diocesan/ecclesiastical administrator
	Record office/archive			Utilities (ie. gas, water and electricity)
	Museum/gallery			Estate agent/property surveyor/valuer
	Non-commercial archaeological organisation			Legal profession
	Commercial archaeological organisation or consultant			Media: publishing (including press)
	Commercial architectural organisation or consultant			Media: TV/film
	Environmental consultant			English Heritage staff
	Picture researcher			Other (please specify):
	Academic researcher

Question 1

The NMR currently holds the major resources listed below. Which of these categories do you think are most important? Please rank the top three in order of importance (1 being the highest, 3 being the lowest):

[ ] a) Photographs and drawings of buildings, monuments and archaeological sites

[2] b) Architectural and archaeological research and survey reports

[3] c) Air photographs of England

[ ] d) Access to databases of statutorily protected sites, such as listed buildings and scheduled monuments

[1] e) The national database (or Inventory) of monuments, buildings and maritime sites representing the wider historic environment, not just statutorily protected sites

This is a difficult question to answer as it appears to accept that records can be ranked in order of importance whereas a properly conceived NMR should provide access to an integrated range of assets and resources. Information regarding statutorily protected sites (d) should, for example, form part of the national database or inventory of monuments (e) etc. and should also include architectural records and survey reports (b).

In its acquisitions policy, which one of the following should the NMR focus on?

[ ] a) Only archives and information generated by English Heritage

[ ] b) Archives and information generated by English Heritage and English Heritage-sponsored projects

[*] c) Archives and information from a more diverse range of sources

Question 3

Currently the NMR does not seek to develop its holdings by systematically seeking out records on particular subjects or by commissioning new material. Do you think it should?

[*] a)Yes

[ ] b) No

[ ] c) Don't know

Question 4

If you are aware of any other material which you would expect the NMR to collect and maintain please tell us in the comments field below.

Comment: As an organisation, RESCUE does not have a complete or perfect overview of the range of archival assets and resources currently in existence, but the following issues may be highlighted:

Excavation records - at a time when shrinking budgets and the unwillingness of developers to adequately fulfil their responsibilities towards archaeology means that the 'fieldwork - analysis - publication - archive deposition' cycle is working imperfectly (in that the results of archaeological interventions are unlikely to be fully published) it is essential that some body takes responsibility for the curation of these archives. To an extent this may be shared with local and regional museums and HERs, but experience shows that museums are under pressure to dispose of material and are often unable to take responsibility for new archives, while HERs lack the space and resources to curate complete excavation archives. Under these circumstances the NMR should act to support local services and, where necessary, to take responsibility for archives which would otherwise be lost.

Specialist reports; Even where publication takes place, much specialist material, of vital importance in the interpretation and reinterpretation of archaeological evidence, is omitted on grounds of space or cost. The NMR should seek to make this material available, perhaps in association with bodies such as the Archaeology Data Service.

Where local facilities are inadequate, the NMR should act to curate archives, such as those belonging to local societies which find themselves in terminal decline. The numbers of local heritage initiatives developed with the aid of Lottery funding should perhaps be viewed as a developing area in this regard, particularly where such initiatives have appeared in response to strong local leadership and interest which may cease with the retirement or death of key individuals. Such bodies should be made aware of the part that the NMR might be willing to play in the long term curation of archives and also the role which might be played in wider the dissemination of data accumulated as a result of individual projects.

Section 2 - Relationship to other archive and record holding bodies

Question 5

The NMR currently holds archives and databases which are national in scope. Is the NMR an appropriate home for these?

[*] a) Yes

[ ] b) No

[ ] c) Partly

If the answer is no, or partly, should efforts be made to transfer any of the material to other national, regional or local institutions? If so, which material?

Question 6

Which one of the following three options should we pursue?

The contents of the NMR database should be:

[*] a) As comprehensive as possible, covering all types of buildings, monuments or archaeological landscapes and sites

[ ] b) Selective, based on sites judged to be nationally important, sites included in national research programmes and English Heritage's own work

[ ] c) Distributed in its entirety to a network of local and/or regional record systems who would take over responsibility for management and dissemination of the digital text records

Question 7

In developing its services, which three of the following areas should the NMR give priority to? Please rank 1-3 in order of priority (1 being the highest):

[ ] a) Personal research / leisure interest

[ ] b) Primary / secondary education

[3] c) Further / higher education

[1] d) Academic research

[2] e) Conservation (e.g. of historic buildings)

[ ] f) Media / commercial publishing

Question 8

Which three online services should the NMR give priority to in the future? Please rank 1-3 in order of priority (1 being the highest):

[1] a) Access to catalogues of NMR archive collections

[=3] b) Index to the archives and datasets held in other institutions

[ ] c) Access to digital copies of photographs and drawings of buildings and monuments

[2] d) Access to digital copies of aerial photographs

[=3] e) The inventory of buildings and monuments linked to maps

[ ] f) Educational resources (e.g. curriculum relevant image packs for primary, secondary or tertiary education)

[ ] g) An internet portal through which users can access and search the digital resources of the whole historic environment sector

Is there any service you would add to the list of options in Question 8?

In what other ways might the services provided by the NMR be improved and developed?

Question 11

Which of the following do you think that the NMR should give priority to? Please rank these from 1 to 3 (1 being the highest):

[1] a) Improving access to its own records

[2] b) Continuing to offer and develop existing advice and guidance to other heritage professionals who maintain archives and record systems

[3] c) Providing more formal advice and guidance in related areas of staff expertise.

If you believe that the NMR should be providing advice and guidance in other areas, please specify which areas in the comments field below.

Question 12

Please select one of the following. The NMR should fund service provision:

[ ] a) By charging users on a cost-covering basis

[ ] b) By charging users, retaining a margin to fund new developments

[*] c) By charging some users and using this income to provide a free service to other users

[ ] d) By raising external funding for its services, even if this determines priorities

[ ] e) None of the above

Section 6 - Conclusions

Question 13

What aspect of the NMR's services do you / your organisation value most highly?

Are there any other comments you would like to make about the role of the NMR?

If you are a representative of a group, please give a summary of the people and organisations you represent:

RESCUE- The British Archaeological Trust is a registered charity which seeks to promote the interests of archaeology in the British Isles and to maintain the position of the archaeology as a vital part of the nations cultural life. RESCUE is entirely dependent upon membership fees and donations from members. We receive no funding from government or any other body and are independent of all other bodies and institutions.

Further details of the Trust are available on the website: www.rescue-archaeology.freeserve.co.uk