With over 12 million items in the public archive, the National Monuments Record (NMR) holds many major collections of national importance covering archaeology, architecture, social and local history.
The archive collections include photographs, drawings, plans and documents.
The NMR gives you free access to view millions of images and records online and provides an enquiry and research service if you can't find what you're looking for.
It's a public archive so you can always visit and carry out your own research.
History
The National Monuments Record (NMR) is the national archive of the historic environment of England. Since 1999 the NMR has been part of English Heritage, but its roots go back to 1908 and the foundation of the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England (RCHME). The Commission was set up to compile and publish an inventory of all ancient and historical monuments by county and by parish. It created not only important publications, but a growing archive of research notes, plans and photographs.
The National Buildings Record
By 1941 the threat to historic buildings across Britain from enemy action was dramatically clear. This led to the creation of an independent body, the National Buildings Record (NBR), with a remit to collect photographic and other records. The NBR worked increasingly closely with RCHME, and in 1963 it became part of the Commission. Its records are at the heart of the NMR's documentation of historic architecture and the built environment.
Aerial Photographs and the Ordnance Survey
In 1983 the NMR took on a major new responsibility, with the transfer from the Ordnance Survey of the national record of archaeological sites. This inventory was computerised and expanded, and is now available through our PastScape website.
A year later the NMR also took responsibility from the Department of the Environment for the National Library of Aerial Photographs, and the two million RAF and Ordnance Survey aerial photographs contained in it. These are a key foundation stone of the NMR's current holdings, which constitute the largest public archive of aerial photographs of England.
English Heritage
In 1999 the NMR, along with the rest of RCHME, merged with English Heritage to form a new lead body for the historic environment. Within a context transformed by the rise of digital media and the internet the NMR carries out its historic role of creating a record of the historic environment; making that record available to all those interested in the history around them; and preserving the record for future generations.
