Dorset Historic Environment Record (HER) forward plan mission statement

Mission statement

The Dorset Historic Environment Record (HER) is a record of historic buildings and archaeological finds and features in the County. Records range from isolated finds of coins or fragments of pottery to massive earthwork features covering many hectares; from the earliest prehistoric periods to industrial sites and World War Two defences. Wrecks and underwater sites are recorded, as are sites with special designations such as scheduled monuments and listed buildings.

Information in the HER underpins the work of Dorset Council and Bournemouth and Poole Council in areas such as planning, care of historic buildings, agri-environment schemes, management of monuments, finds identification, and research. The HER is managed for public benefit and in accordance with national standards; it is actively maintained to be as accurate and comprehensive as possible to support and ensure the better understanding, enjoyment and protection of our environment.

The Historic Environment Record is a public record and consulted by national and local government, landowners, developers, utilities, professional and amateur archaeologists, students, and anyone with an interest in the history and archaeology of Dorset. 

Note: The wording of this mission statement follows a template provided by Historic England and was agreed with them in 2019 as part of the HER audit process.