Historic Environment and Sense of Place

This year Heritage Counts, focuses on the role of the historic environment in shaping what individuals think and feel about where they live – their sense of place.

HEREC (the Historic Evironment Review Executive Committee) commissioned Newcastle University's Centre for Urban and Regional Studies (CURDS), Newcastle University International Centre for Cultural and Heritage Studies and Bradley Research and Consulting to undertake a ground breaking study which would provide the first robust evidence that the historic environment has a positive and significant impact on people's sense of place.

Key findings include:

• Adults who live in areas of higher levels of historic environment are likely to have a stronger sense of place¹
• Young people and adults who are more interested in the historic enviornment are likley to have a stronger sense of place¹
• Young people and adults who cite a local building or monument as special are likely to have a stronger sense of place¹

¹ When other socio-economic factors that impact on sense of place are held equal

A summary of the research can be found in the national Heritage Counts report