Introduction

This section outlines the temporal, geographical and subject coverage of HERs and the variation in delivery models. It also discusses modelling the past within HERs, including the monument-event-source model, and considers the principal datasets from which the content of an HER may be derived.

HERs are a dynamic and constantly evolving resource. They contain information about the historic environment within a defined geographical area, including a full range of heritage assets. They do not have temporal or thematic limits, covering all subjects and periods of human history and prehistory, from the Palaeolithic through to the modern day.

HERs exist within a broader community of memory institutions. They are one of several information providers operating at national and local levels; information curated by other organisations, such as museums and record offices, complements information held by HERs.

HERs cross-reference other datasets and resources, providing an index to the existence, quantity and quality of these sources of information, including data and archives held elsewhere in the HER or by other organisations.