Historic Environment Record
The HER database is the County of Worcestershire’s primary resource for archaeological and historic environment information. We hold over 100,000 records including archaeological sites and finds, historic buildings, monuments, and landscape features. The HER can help you to research:
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- Your area, whether that’s a village, a particular building, or parish
- A particular period of interest, including Roman, Medieval, and World War II
- Industrial archaeology such as lime kilns, carpet factories, and needle manufacturing
- Historic artefacts, such as coins, pottery, plant, and animal remains
Commercial Search Request Public or Academic Enquiry
You can request a Worcestershire HER search by following either of these links or see the information below if you need more detail on search services and costs. Enquiries for Worcester City should be made to the separate Worcester City Historic Environment Record.
You can visit us at our public open HER desk on Tuesdays and Thursdays 10:30 to 13:30 on Level 2 of The Hive, Worcester. Please see further details on visiting The Hive.
The HER Database can also be accessed by submitting a commercial or public enquiry to us using the links provided below.
Some of our records can also be viewed on Historic England’s Heritage Gateway (for non-commercial use only).
HER data can be provided as a radius-based search comprising pdf records and GIS location data. Accessing HER data for commercial undertakings must be through a commercial HER Search request. Charges are indicated in the Services and Charges List below. Follow the link to make a Commercial HER Search Request.
If you are interested in local history, undertaking national research or just would like to see what records we hold for your house, you can make an enquiry using the link below. Please provide as much detail as you can about your question and our team will get back to you as soon as possible. You can also submit your research to the HER using the enquiry form.
For details of our chargeable services, including Commercial HER Search options and UK Forestry enquiries, please see the Services and Charges List at the link below.
The Worcestershire Historic Environment Record’s Recording, Information and Disposal policy provides details on what is recorded on the HER, how it is recorded and how the HER is managed.
Worcestershire is a county rich in archaeological finds from prehistoric stone axes to the remains of World War II defences. The value of a find is not only whether it is of gold or silver – but the story that it can help tell. But a find can only begin to tell this story if it is correctly recorded. There is a legal responsibility to report some classes of finds through the Treasure Act. Finds that you think might be of archaeological interest can be reported to the Portable Antiquity Scheme (PAS) who will view the find and record it where suitable in the national database and the local Historic Environment Record. Contact details for the Finds Liaison Officer (for the area in which the object was found) and information on reporting finds to the Portable Antiquity Scheme can be found below.
Contact details for regional finds liaison officers
Information on reporting objects to Portable Antiquity Scheme
Always get the permission of the landowner and tenant before entering any land. Do not collect finds from Scheduled Monuments (this is illegal). Seek professional help if you discover something large, unusual or below the ploughsoil. If metal detecting, please follow the Metal Detecting code of practice.
Unpublished archaeology reports (also known as ‘Grey Literature’) for Worcestershire can be found on the Archaeology Data Service (ADS). If you cannot find a report this may be due to a number of reasons including copyright or commercially sensitive information – Use the enquiry form above to contact us with details of the missing report and we will let you know if we can provide access to a copy.
Archaeology of Broadway (left to right): ridge and furrow on Fish Hill, Bronze Age beaker vessel found during 2016 excavation, and enclosure cropmarks along the Badsey Brook