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Historic Environment Records (HER)

Historic Environment Records (HER)

What are Historic Environment Records (HERs)?

Both Nottingham City Council and Nottinghamshire County Council maintain Historic Environment Records (HERs).

Historic Environment Records (HERs) are sources of, and signposts to, information relating to landscapes, buildings, monuments, sites, places, areas and archaeological finds spanning more than 700,000 years of human endeavour. Based mainly in local authorities, they are used for planning and development control but they also fulfil an educational role.

These records were previously known as Sites and Monuments Records (SMRs), but have been developing into systems representing the wider historic environment.

From early origins as records based on Ordnance Survey Archaeology Branch index cards, SMRs and then HERs have developed into sophisticated digital databases, usually integrated with Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to provide the mapping component.  The data contained has been developed and added to through desk-based research and fieldwork reports as well as through statutory data and thematic enhancements.  

Selected major historic towns and cities are covered by Urban Archaeological Databases (UADs). In many cases, UADs are held as part of, and are accessible via, the local HER.

There are over 80 HERs in England which are maintained and managed by local authorities as the essential core of historic environment services. These are mainly county council based but include joint services (i.e. more than one authority working together), district councils, unitary authorities, national parks and major landowners such as the National Trust. Contact details for all English HERs may be found on Historic England’s Heritage Gateway website (as well as cross-searchable data for many HERs).

HERs are used internally by local authorities (and authorities in different tiers of Government) for planning, development-control work and other areas of land management. They are also consulted by statutory undertakers (e.g. electricity suppliers etc) and developers in advance of planning applications. HERs have a role to play in education, being consulted by students at all levels from school children working on projects to post-graduate academic researchers. HERs operate public services for anyone interested in the archaeology, built heritage and history of an area.  

Content and structure of HERs

Most HERs maintain three complementary types of record dealing with monuments (these can define any type of heritage feature, including buildings), events (fieldwork such as excavation or buildings survey) and sources and archives. These are then combined in a single database with monuments and events linked to layers in a GIS.

As well as database records, HERs have physical reference collections that can be consulted, such as reports originating from archaeological and building investigations respectively as a result of conditions placed on planning applications. Increasingly these are held digitally for on-line access (for example via the Heritage Gateway).

Nottingham City Council’s HER

Unfortunately, Nottingham City Council’s HER is unavailable on-line.

However, the City’s HER Room may be visited in person by contacting the Council on details included on the Nottingham City HER webpage.

Nottingham’s Listed “Public Houses” on the City’s HER

A search of the City’s HER database in 2017 produced a list of 34 listed buildings with the words “public house” in their description. The numbers prefixed by “DNU” are the City of Nottingham’s HER entry reference. As the City’s HER is sadly not available to the public via the internet, there are currently no links to the full HER entry. References in the format “{GII XXXXXX}” give the Historic England listed building grade and number, clicking on which links through to Historic England’s list entry. CAMRA’s unique national identifying reference for each pub is in the format “NOT/XXX”. Clicking on this number will take you through to Nottingham CAMRA’s “Whatpub?” entry.

The 34 pubs are:

  • DNU 60 Filly & Firkin, Mansfield Road (now Rose of England) {GII 1058995} (NOT/222)
  • DNU 99 Dog & Bear, Bridlesmith Gate (no longer pub)
  • DNU 109 Old Pear Tree, Basford (NOT/182)
  • DNU 182 Old Castle Inn (NOT/33)
  • DNU 233 Old Vic Public House (now Das Kino(NOT/563)
  • DNU 276 County Tavern, High Pavement (NOT/499)
  • DNU 305 Yates’ Wine Lodge(NOT/286)
  • DNU 314 Old Dog & Partridge, Lower Parliament Street (NOT/180)
  • DNU 348 Peacock, Mansfield Road (NOT/190)
  • DNU 350 Golden Fleece, Mansfield Road (NOT/96)
  • DNU 372 36 Market Street (no longer pub)
  • DNU 421 Imperial, St. James’s Street (now Icon(NOT/271)
  • DNU 460 Salutation Inn, Houndsgate (NOT/287)
  • DNU 463 Court Public House (no longer a pub), {GII}
  • DNU 473 Langtry’s, South Sherwood Street (NOT/126)
  • DNU 477 Bentinck Hotel, Station Street (now Citizen’s Bar(NOT/20)
  • DNU 485 Old Angel, Stoney Gate (NOT/178)
  • DNU 491 Corn Exchange & Clinton Rooms, 10 Thurland Street (now Mojo(NOT/650)
  • DNU 499 Stage, 7a Wollaton Street (NOT/240)
  • DNU 506 Malthouse, Victoria Street (now Pit & Pendulum(NOT/193)
  • DNU 522 Thurland Hall, Thurland Street {GII} (NOT/253)
  • DNU 528 Blue Bell, Parliament Street (now Route One) {GII} (NOT/487)
  • DNU 664 Flying Horse Walk (no longer a pub)
  • DNU 693 Lord Nelson, Sneinton {GII} (NOT/139)
  • DNU 719 Ferry Inn, Wilford {GII} (NOT/80)
  • DNU 731 Bath Inn, 1 Handel Street (GII} (NOT/513)
  • DNU 738 Cross Keys, Byard Lane {GII} (NOT/52)
  • DNU 752 Lion Hotel & Caves, Clumber Street {GII} (no longer a pub)
  • DNU 780 Trip to Jerusalem, Brewhouse Yard {GII 1271192} (NOT/288)
  • DNU 798 Fellows, Morton & Clayton, Canal Street {GII} (NOT/79)
  • DNU 806 Bell Inn, Angel Row {GII} (NOT/306)
  • DNU 858 Palm Street Cave Systems

Other Public House HER Entries in Nottingham

It is hoped that further information may be shared on this website in the future relating to public houses and sites associated with brewing but which are not listed buildings.

Nottinghamshire County Council’s HER

Unlike the City Council, Nottinghamshire County Council does have an on-line HER which may be accessed through Historic England’s Pastscape Website.

This currently shows 168 heritage assets identified as “public houses”, of which 26 are in the Nottingham CAMRA branch area. Of these only 18 remain public houses as at 15th May 2021. 6 have been repurposed and two have been demolished, both in the Borough of Broxtowe.

Nottinghamshire’s “Public Houses” on the County’s HER

The 26 pubs with entries on the Nottinghamshire HER as at 25th January 2022 are listed below. Clicking on the the pub names in bold links through to the County’s HER. The “M” or “MNT” number is the pub’s entry number on the HER. Where there is one, CAMRA’s national identifying number is give in the format “NOT/XXX” in bold and clicking on this takes you to Nottingham CAMRA’s “Whatpub?” entry for the pub:

  • Red Lion Cottage, Ruddington, RUSHCLIFFE (no longer a pub) [MNT27112]
  • Warren Arms, Stapleford, BROXTOWE (now demolished) [MNT27121]
  • Sun Inn, Eastwood, BROXTOWE [M10023]
  • Lord Nelson, Eastwood, BROXTOWE (now Olivers Restaurant) [MNT27593]
  • White Lion, Bramcote, BROXTOWE [M10046]
  • Ferry Boat, Stoke Bardolph, GEDLING [M9094]
  • Griffins Head, Papplewick, GEDLING [M9079]
  • Red Lion Cottage, Attenborough, BROXTOWE (no longer a pub) [M10034]
  • Queens Head, Watnall, BROXTOWE [M9990]
  • Horse & Groom, Greasley, BROXTOWE [M9988]
  • Lay Cross Alehouse, Calverton, GEDLING (no longer a pub) [M2846]
  • Hutt, Ravenshead, GEDLING [M17367]
  • Old Spot, Arnold, GEDLING [M17346]

There appears to be little reasoning behind the selection of these 26 pubs in particular, nor the absence of a number of other pubs which are arguably just as important.

It seems that most have an HER entry because of a reference in a published work such as Pevsner, a particular local authority report or because they are Historic England listed buildings.

There does not yet seem to have been a systematic survey to record the public houses of Nottinghamshire. Presumably this means that County Hall does not currently recognise public houses as being part of the local historic environment.

Hopefully, Nottinghamshire’s HER team will address this discrepancy.

Gallery of Nottinghamshire’s HER pubs

The gallery below shows photos for 11 of the pubs on Nottinghamshire’s HER:

Photo credits: Old Wine Vaults, Mavers Arms, Oxclose and Test Match Hotel courtesy of Nottinghamshire County Council from the on-line HER entry. All others Andrew Ludlow / Nottingham CAMRA.