The urban historic environment provides the setting for the life of the nation. The vast majority of people live and work in towns and cities, and cultural activity is concentrated in urban settlements.
Many towns have experienced continuous occupation for over a thousand years, and some for the greater part of two thousand years. The history of the nation is, therefore, represented in the archaeology and fabric of our towns.
The concept of the 'historic town' has broadened in recent years, with a growing recognition that even the new towns and new suburbs of the late 20th century represent important episodes in national history.
Urban space, however, never stands still: the process of long-term change has produced today's historic environment, and the pressure for change is today more intense than ever. The historic environment has the potential to contribute to the future success of our towns and cities, for it provides people with a sense of belonging to somewhere distinctive and special.
It is an essential component of place making, for identity derives largely from history, and especially from its material evidence. Understanding of the historic environment is, therefore, crucial to our lives: it tells us what is important and why, it explains how our towns and cities have evolved, and it helps people to define, protect, care for and appreciate the special qualities of the places where they live.
Understanding is based on sound research, and this research strategy is designed to address the need for better awareness of the interest and importance of the urban historic environment
The Purpose of the Strategy
Research is essential if we wish to protect and enjoy the most significant aspects of our historic towns and cities. The formulation of policy and the response to long-term and short-term change must be informed by good understanding of what is significant and why.
The Thematic Research Strategy for the urban historic environment identifies the key challenges facing the management and enjoyment of our towns and cities and sets out a number of priority research programmes designed to support English Heritage objectives.
This strategic approach will help English Heritage target its resources, specifically the funds which it has available for grant-aiding research, on the most critical issues facing the urban historic environment today.
The priority research programmes
Nine key challenges and subject areas have been identified for the period ahead. These are explained fully in the attached Strategy document. They can be summarised as follows:
- Exploiting the results of develop-funded research: making research findings available, moving towards syntheses
- Historic characterisation: continuing the national programme of urban characterisation
- Survival of early form and fabric in historic towns': what survives from the medieval and early-modern periods? We know too little about this
- The 20th century: the dramatic changes in our towns and cities made during the 20th century are of considerable historic importance but they are not fully understood
- Parks, open spaces, cemeteries: spaces, as much as buildings, contribute to the character of historic towns, but they face severe problems of management and are not fully understood
- Coastal towns and historic ports: decay and commercial pressure together constitute a significant threat to these important places
- Providing the evidence base for regeneration and renewal: ensuring that change to historic towns is informed by good understanding of significance
- Historic suburbs: 'densification' in some areas, decay in others, present a challenge, but greater understanding of significance can lead to better conservation
- Threatened or vulnerable building types: some building types are redundant or facing severe conservation challenges: research can help to protect the most significant cases
Implementing and updating the Strategy
We will implement the Strategy by developing projects in response to the priority research programmes, whether undertaken in-house by English Heritage's own research teams, through building partnerships, or by funding external partners via the Historic Environment Enabling Programme.
The Strategy will remain a 'live' document and we will measure and report on progress against the priorities. Annual updates on relevant projects will be posted here, while regular reviews and horizon-scanning will allow ongoing adjustment and revision to the priorities, as progress is made and new issues are identified.
Downloads and links
A number of documents are available for download or will be added in due course. These include the Thematic Research Strategy for the urban historic environment itself and supplementary essays on the priority research programmes.
We welcome comments on any aspect of the Strategy, which we will endeavour to take into account in future updates. These should be addressed to:
Colum Giles
Head of Urban Research Policy
Tanner Row
York YO1 6WP
or
Roger M Thomas
Head of Urban Archaeology
The Engine House
Fire Fly Avenue
Swindon SN2 2EH
