⚠️ Archived Content
This page relates to the 2019–2024 National Park Management Plan, which is now archived. For the latest aims and objectives, please visit the 2025–2030 Management Plan landing page.
Use the Dales Countryside Museum and the Historic Environment Record to help local heritage groups to research, record and promote the stories of the National Park area, including completing the enhancement of the Historic Environment Record for the new area of the National Park by 2024.
How the local partners are doing on this objective
Progress: Historic England completed the first two phases of the HER enhancement – carrying out Lidar mapping across 172 km2 of the Westmorland area of the National Park. The surveys identified more than 1,500 new sites of historical importance. The concluding phase has been delayed by the withdrawal of the consultants contracted to complete the work. The National Park Authority and Historic England are now working to re-let the contract for completion later this year.
Press Releases & Related articles:
26 March 2024 – Historical sites discovered in Westmorland Dales
Rationale: The Historic Environment Record (HER) is an actively managed and dynamic record of the known historical environment. The information it contains is used to inform conservation, development and land management programmes, and as a resource to both encourage greater understanding and public appreciation of the historic environment of the National Park. The HER for the new area of the National Park is less comprehensive and would benefit from enhancement. This will improve it as a knowledge base for managing the historical environment, and target future research.
Lead partner: Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority
Supporting partners: Yorkshire Dales Historic Environment Group, Historic England
Further information: YDNPA – Historic Environment Record; Dales Countryside Museum;
Cost over 5 years: £200,000
Funding shortfall: £50,000
Related objectives: A1; A6; A7, A8, A9, E3, E4
Ecosystem services: Sense of place and inspiration; Sense of history
Trade-offs: None. Information stored in the HER is used to inform decision-making.
Baseline: Extension area HER records as of 12/3/19: Monuments:6,978; Events:184; Sources:107