Wonder how we care for the ancient sites and historical places within our National Parks? These places are some of the most iconic and precious elements of these special landscapes; think of Northumberland’s Hadrian’s Wall, Dartmoor’s stone rows or the hill farms of the Lake District.
These special sites continue to inspire and awe visitors from around the world, but these showstoppers are just a small part of the amazing heritage sites protected within National Parks, all of which have their own stories to tell.
I’m Dr Lucy Shipley, Historic Environment Record Officer for Exmoor National Park and in this post, I’m going to tell you more about my work.
Introducing the Historic Environment Record
The job of the Historic Environment Record (HER) Officer for each National Park is to collect information about all these extraordinary places, large and small, and to share that information with the public.
Now I’m excited to reveal the work of two National Park Historic Environment Records Officers, those of Exmoor and North York Moors, are featured in a new film produced by Historic England to celebrate the work of HERs across the country.
Celebrating Historic Environment Record on film
As part of the development of the film, the camera crew joined me on Exmoor, where we headed out to the wild expanse of Kittuck Meads and the abandoned Victorian farmstead of Larkbarrow to introduce the role of the Historic Environment Records. This was the perfect place to show how vibrant, far reaching and ever changing HERs can be, from Mesolithic hunter gatherers to World War II bomb craters, with standing stones and remnants of the agricultural revolution all around.
Ellie Leary of the North York Moors National Park also features in the film. She explains how we gather data about these places; showcasing the latest survey methods including exciting developments in remote sensing (using non-intrusive techniques to examine buried archaeology) and explaining how excavation data and mapping work are integrated to ensure the very latest knowledge is available for study.
In the film, the team in the North York Moors also showcase the practical application of the HER too. This is exhibited through the Moor to Restore project, which is working closely with the HER team to ensure that their ambitious plans for peatland restoration also safeguard and protect heritage sites located in areas earmarked for restoration.
In both National Parks and across the country, colleagues use the data held in HERs to make decisions on land use and management practice, working closely with Natural England, Historic England and of course, the landowners whose day-to-day care for historic sites preserves them for future generations to explore and enjoy.
The role of HERs in combatting climate change also features heavily in the film. From the devastating wildfires in the North York Moors to the impact of flash flooding on Exmoor, HER data helps understand both the impact of climate events and the work needed for restoration and repair.
Thinking about the future
Thinking more deeply, we can also look to the past for inspiration on how to manage these special landscapes into the future. Whether it’s by learning from the misplaced intentions of Victorian grandees determined to turn moors into productive farmland, or looking back at the deeper past to seek sustainable ways of living in the landscape and working with nature.
The film is packed with insights into the different ways HERs across the country bring alive the value of heritage as a wonderful resource for community building, tourism, sustainable development and land management.
The National Park landscapes make a fabulous backdrop, (the weather was fortunately very kind during filming on Exmoor in June 2025!), so do take five minutes out of your day to watch the film and hear all about HERs and the dedicated staff who curate them.
The HER film is available: Why Historic Environment Records Matter | Videos & Movies on Vimeo.
Many thanks to Historic England, Natural England and FletcherWilson films.
You can access the Exmoor HER online: Home - The Historic Environment Record for Exmoor National Park.
And the North York Moors HER online: Historic Environment Record | NYMNP.
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