The Somerset HER is a record of the known historic environment in the modern administrative county of Somerset (excluding Exmoor National Park). There are currently over 40,000 entries in the record.
Use the box above to search for words in the site name (or the entire text description) or if you know the site number (PRN), search for that.
Below you can do detailed searches for site classifications and limit them to parishes or areas.
Use the Map tab to look at locally and nationally Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas, archaeological sites, historical OS mapping, tithe maps (1840s) and aerial photographs (1940s, 2006).
Please get in touch if you would like to update the information or ask about things. We welcome contributions and photos to make the record better. Click the button or email: her@swheritage.org.uk
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Legal designations
Local Heritage List
Local parks and gardens (BaNES)
Conservation areas
Historic landscape character
Historic feature mapping
Tithe map information
Information on these can be found below the map.
Base maps: © Crown copyright and database rights 2025 Ordnance Survey 100023366. HER mapping: copyright Somerset Council. Show/hide centre marker
Layer information
Monuments and fieldwork
This is the core dataset of the HER and records features of the historic environment (known as "monuments" or "heritage assets"), both those that survive and that have been destroyed, together with the locations of archaeological activity (excavations, surveys, building recording etc). This is continually being updated and is used to assess the impact of proposed developments as well as for private and academic research. The HER is not definitive and the sources of information used to compile the record should be consulted. The online information is up-to-date but there may be additional information that has not yet been added to the database. Please consult us if you are undertaking planning or other legal work.Legal designations
Some features ("heritage assets") of the historic environment have legal protection and may require permission for work to them in order to avoid committing an offence. Scheduled Monuments mostly protect archaeological sites and ruins: any work to them requires consent from the government (contact Historic England in the first instance). Listed Buildings are mostly in use and work that would affect their "special interest" requires consent from the local authority. Note that the mapped depiction is only to identify the principal listed structures. It does not indicate the limits of the listing, nor does it attempt to indicate the curtilage. In areas registered as Battlefields or Parks and Gardens importance will be given to preserving their character in planning or funding decisions. All these designations are carried out by Historic England and legally recorded on the National Heritage List for England where further information can be found.Local Heritage List
An inventory of heritage assets in Somerset that are significant for their contribution to local character and distinctiveness. Items on the Local Heritage List have been researched and judged against a set of selection criteria. Locally listed status is not a statutory designation but it does denote buildings, sites or features that should be celebrated and merit additional consideration in the planning process. The Local Heritage List is a live dataset that continues to evolve, with new assets being proposed and listed, and existing assets being updated, altered or even removed. The HER mapping shows the status of each Local Heritage List asset in this process. The stages for Local List assets are:- Proposed assets: Assets put forward for local heritage listing, but not yet checked for validity.
- Legacy candidate assets: Assets migrated from credible sources of heritage significance, that move straight to the full assessment stage.
- Candidate assets: Assets put forward which have been validated but not fully assessed for inclusion.
- Locally listed assets: Assets that have been fully assessed and deemed suitable to add to the Local Heritage List.
- Rejected assets: Assets that have been fully assessed and not deemed suitable to add to the Local Heritage List.
See Somerset Local Heritage List for more information and to contribute.
Local Parks and Gardens (BaNES only)
This list is designated and maintained by the Avon Gardens Trust. It is referred to in Section 222 (Historic Environment) of the Bath and North East Somerset Local Plan Partial Update (2023), which is part of the Council’s Development Plan.Conservation Areas
Are defined by local authorities to indicate areas where the historic character of an area needs to be protected. The information has been compiled from data supplied by the councils, who should be consulted for the precise legal definition and boundary if that is important. Some conservation areas have appraisals giving more information on the features that form their character and a link to these or other information on their local authority website can be found by clicking in the area on the map.Historic Landscape Character
Gives an indication of the possible historic origins of the landscape. In most cases this was defined from the mapped appearance and better dates may be obtained from historical sources, such as Enclosure Awards, which were not consulted for this project in an attempt to use a uniform methodology. Note that the Somerset and BaNES projects used different methodologies and are not readily comparable.Historic feature mapping
This shows primarily information from Historic England's National Mapping Programme 
showing features identified from aerial survey. Additional features have been added from aerial photographs, old maps and geophysical surveys. The colour represents the form of the original feature.
- Bright blue dashes
- Cropmarks of buried ditches and large cut features, such as quarries
- Dark brown dashes
- Cropmarks of buried banks, and trackways
- Solid orange
- Parchmarks
- Solid bright green
- Earthworks of ridge and furrow cultivation or orchard banks. A line or arrow shows the direction of the ridges
- Bright green dashes
- Ploughed-down earthworks of ridge and furrow cultivation or orchard banks
- Solid black
- Structures or military features
- Solid pink
- Geophysical survey anomalies
- Solid green/blue
- Natural features
- Black dashes
- Extent of feature or area
Note that not all areas have been covered. Most projects have covered upland areas such as the Mendip, Quantock and Blackdown Hills.
SCC aerial photos (2006)
Aerial photo coverage of Somerset taken for the county council. Please contact Somerset Council if the exact date of a particular area is needed.RAF aerial photos
In the years immediately after the Second World War, the RAF took vertical aerial photographs of most of the country. The images in this composite set date to 1946-8.OS National Grid 1:2500
After the Second World War the Ordnance Survey remapped the country on the National Grid. These maps are of varying dates. Please consult the originals if the date is important. These maps are provided by Bristol City Council as part of the Know Your Place project using original images reproduced with the permission of the the National Library of Scotland and the British Library. This layer may not be complete.OS revised Second Edition 1:2500
The Ordnance Survey revised some of their maps in the years between 1910 and the Second World War. Please consult the originals if the date is important. These maps are provided by Bristol City Council as part of the Know Your Place project using original images reproduced with the permission of the the National Library of Scotland and the British Library. This layer will never have full coverage but may not be complete yet.OS Second Edition 1:2500
The Ordnance Survey produced these maps in Somerset in 1902-5. Please consult the originals if the date is important. These maps are provided by Bristol City Council as part of the Know Your Place project using original images reproduced with the permission of the the National Library of Scotland and the British Library. This layer may not be complete.OS Town Plans 1:500
The Ordnance Survey produced these plans in Somerset in 1888-89 for some towns. Please consult the originals if the date is important. These maps are provided by Bristol City Council as part of the Know Your Place project using original images reproduced with the permission of the the National Library of Scotland and the British Library. This layer will never have full coverage but may not be complete yet.OS First Edition 1:2500
The Ordnance Survey produced these maps in Somerset in 1888-89. Please consult the originals if the date is important. These maps are provided by Bristol City Council as part of the Know Your Place project using original images reproduced with the permission of the the National Library of Scotland and the British Library.Enclosure maps (various dates)
Maps produced to show land ownership in newly enclosured land. Mostly 18th and 19th century, the originals are in the Somerset Record Office who should be consulted for any further detailsTithe maps
In 1836 the Tithe Commutation Act allowed the payment of tithes (which funded the church) in cash rather than produce. The maps were prepared in the following years, usually one per parish. Some areas were not subject to tithes so there are gaps. Parish boundaries are shown by a green dashed line and we are slowly adding fieldnames. You can click on the green circle (when Tithe Info layer is visible) for more information. The full data for completed parishes is available, please ask.The Somerset HER
The Somerset HER is a record of the known historic environment in the modern administrative county of Somerset (excluding Exmoor National Park). Historically it has focussed on archaeological sites but increasingly the upstanding built environment is being recorded.
Please read the Ordnance Survey notice and Conditions of Use below.
We would welcome your feedback on the website and also any new or additional information (text or pictures) that you may wish to provide.
Important
The information on this website is provided for information only and must not be relied on for legal or planning related work. Please contact us if you require details or would like a definitive search.
Ordnance Survey
The Ordnance Survey mapping used in this website is provided by Somerset Council under licence from the Ordnance Survey in order to fulfil its public function to make available Council-held public domain information. Licence number 100023366. The Ordnance Survey web site can be found at www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk
Conditions of use
- Somerset Council holds copyright and database right of the Historic Environment Record (HER) compiled data. The information may be freely used for private or commercial research but the source must be acknowledged.
- Information obtained from the HER must not be used to the detriment of the historic environment and the HER information may be withdrawn if this occurs.
- The information within the HER is of varying dates and origins. Whilst every effort has been made to compile an accurate record, it should not be regarded as definitive and the original sources should be consulted if necessary.
- There may be information concerning existing or newly discovered archaeological sites which have, as yet, not been added to the HER.
- The whereabouts of any artefacts, documentary sources, photographs or other material mentioned in the HER cannot be guaranteed.