Not Losing the Plot: Burial Ground Surveys and Lots More!

HER Forum Winter Meeting 2018, Birmingham and Midland Institute, Birmingham, 4th December 2018

(Post presentation questions and comments – in italicised type following each abstract – are based on notes taken at the meeting. Powerpoints for most of the presentations [the exception being the Church Heritage Burial Ground Survey] can be viewed on the HER Forum JiscMail File Store).

Welcome from the Chair – Chris Webster (South West Heritage Trust)
After a successful visit to Bristol for the summer meeting the winter HER Forum meeting was held at the Birmingham and Midland Institute with 72 attendees. The meeting began with an interesting presentation on the possibilities directing citizen science towards recording buildings and monuments, tapping into the large numbers of drone owners who might be seeking something ‘useful’ to do with their skills and equipment.  This was followed by updates on the Heritage Information Access Strategy, including the audit programme, the Herald project to update OASIS and a review of overall progress. In the afternoon, the latest initiatives for improving and extending the Church Heritage Record with burial grounds was explained followed by a review of the archaeological work involved in the HS2 project, from both the project and the HERs through which the line will pass. A good number of participants then eschewed the charms of the Christmas market to continue the discussions in more sociable surroundings.

Remote Sensing & Citizen Participation - Jim Sallis (Nottingham Trent University) 
Jim Sallis is a Principal Lecturer and Undergraduate Course Manager within the department of Property Management and Development at Nottingham Trent University. In addition to teaching across a range of undergraduate and post-graduate property related degree programmes, his research interests focus on the application of geomatics for spatial measurement, with emphasis on its use within the cultural heritage sector.

This presentation will explore three interrelated themes (volunteered geographic information (VGI), heritage inventories and the emergence of low cost consumer UAV’s and image-based sensor technologies) which together have the potential to enrich the process and procedures of documentation and interpretation within heritage management, whilst challenging traditional perceptions of data collection.

Context
Interest in community gathered scientific data or ‘Citizen Science’ initiatives have burgeoned over the last two decades, due in part to the emergence of increasingly sophisticated mobile sensor technologies and our apparent desire to find alternative (virtuous) ways for using our leisure time for public and environmental good. Although the concept can be traced back to the early twentieth century (see the National Audubon Society’s Great Christmas Bird Count) the availability and diversity of information now shared online has led to a shift from conventional gatherings of interest groups, to a new form of web-based ‘Community Generated Content’, whereby volunteers contribute to online forums such as PatientsLikeMe and Open Street Map. The practice is often augmented with participatory data collection techniques in the field, aimed at promoting environmental advocacy and improving public awareness of scientific concepts.

At the same time, it is now widely acknowledged that the rate at which the world is losing its architectural and archaeological heritage is exceeding that at which it can be accurately recorded. The increasing threat of natural and anthropic disaster, neglect and inappropriate development now mean there is a mounting imperative to explore solutions to address the issue. Whilst the concept of documentation is widely acknowledged throughout almost all international charters and guidelines, the reality of its execution is somewhat different. To this end, we are now seeing a number of heritage organisations harnessing the power of ‘the crowd’ to complement its existing well-established procedures for archaeological documentation in an attempt to meet this challenge. Successful examples include the ‘Know your Place’ initiative, Co-Producing a 3D Imaging Programme at Derby Museums and CITiZAN, a network of community volunteers committed to documenting threatened archaeological sites around Britain’s coast.

This research will therefore seek to build on these earlier pilot studies whilst introducing a third element – that of the rapid development in consumer UAV’s and low-cost digital sensor technologies. A recent competition run by the CAA and Visit England entitled ‘Britain at 400ft’ demonstrated only too well the expertise that exists within the amateur drone community. What if this could be garnered to augment traditional methods of data capture and complement existing Heritage Environment Records? Only time (and a little VGI) will tell!

Comment – Acting Head of Listing Information Services, Historic England – Whilst there are some questions regarding licensing and digital archiving, there is no doubt that there is an extensive audience interested in these products. Historic England has been working in a similar area with Enriching the List. An open data license might be one way forward. EtL can’t presently upload moving images but can support the links necessary to crowd source static images and comments.

Response – The initiative will be looking not only at not only moving images but also things like 3D modelling.

Question – HIAS Programme Manager, Historic England – The link to Heritage at Risk is also a promising one in the context of Historic England’s interest in community recording. Has the project developed any methodologies for drone recording?

Answer – Regulation sits within the constraints set by the Civil Aviation Authority. It’s something that is being used increasingly as a component of conventional aerial photographic studies. Similarly the equipment is now inexpensive enough for drone photography to be used at the community level. What is being sought are means of bringing the two together for the benefit of all.

Question – HER Officer 1 – Has the project made any links with the Archaeology Data Service?

Answer – Not as yet.

Comment – HER Officer 2 – If the project is to engage with HERs data input into these records will be a key element. In this respect it may be possible to work through systems which are already in place. In South Gloucestershire, for example, there are parallels with a Heritage Lottery funded landscape project using Lidar. This allows volunteers to input directly into the HER database. 

Comment – HER Officer 3, Suzy Blake, Staffordshire HER) – There are two projects under way In Staffordshire which are collaborative ventures between historic environment and wildlife teams. These concern Heritage at Risk and military history in the Trent valley. Whilst neither have considered the use of drones both have a significant community element. When looking at the question of potential sources of funding, this is a more difficult issue. The two initiatives in question have received funds from the HLF but accessing resources for initiatives of this type is an arduous task ‘across the board’. Historic England match funding might be a possibility.

The HER Audit Programme: Future Plans – Jane Golding, Nick Davis, Charina Jones & Marion Page (Historic England)
The Historic England HER Audit Programme has, over the course of the last few years, been comprehensively revised and restructured. This is to streamline, update and clarify the processes involved; to better serve the needs of HERs and Historic England and to allow it to sit consistently within national and local outcomes frameworks. We have now undertaken the first wave of audits using this new format and gathered responses from the HERs involved. Using the information derived from this we now have a clear picture of how effectively the new system functions. It has also allowed us to make a more precise assessment of how the programme will be carried forward during the next few years. This presentation will outline the background to these latest developments, explain the processes and mechanisms involved in the revised system of evaluation and look ahead to future plans. 
  
Question – HER Officer 4 – Where can we find the HER Guidance document?

Answer (JG) – This has been drafted collaboratively by ALGAO and Historic England and is now in its finished form. It will be made available on the Historic England website early in 2019.

(This document has since appeared on the HE website and can be found at:
 A Guide to Historic Environment Records (HERs) in England). 

Comment – HER Officer 5 – Our HER is currently doing an audit. The online approach is a good one and we’ve found the system easy to use.

Question – HER Officer 3 – Is the audit integrated with HIAS? How does it relate, for example, to NRHE to HERs and the National Security Copy?

Answer (JG) – Interlinking with HIAS has been kept in mind throughout the development process. The next stages in these initiatives will develop this integration still further.

Comment – HER Officer 6 – The question of audits has been discussed by the HBSMR User Group. HBSMR has a Benchmarks component which could possibly be modified to include more relating to audits. There may be room for more discussion on this topic, which would hopefully make life a lot easier for HBSMR users. It might prove possible for HBSMR to generate audit data automatically.

HIAS: Update on the Redevelopment of OASIS – Tim Evans (Archaeology Data Service)
Following a period of review and consultation, the ADS are currently undertaking a project to redevelop the OASIS form. The new form is an important component of Historic England’s HIAS. The project is now well into the first phase of building, with an alpha version (i.e. first draft) expected in March 2019, and the public beta in March 2020. This presentation will primarily focus on the work that has been done to date, with examples from the nascent system to demonstrate how the new OASIS will operate, especially in regard to HER workflows. This will include a preview of the technical aspects that are being built to improve the standard and consistency of recording used in OASIS, and the current strategies for ensuring that HERs can access and reuse information for their needs

Question – HER Officer 7– There is an evident need for more photographic content. Can this be done?

Answer – New OASIS will be limited to reports only. Photographs can be uploaded as an archive using the ADS-EASY system. Any linking between systems (including HERs) can be done within the OASIS form, or using the API (being built in summer 2019) backfilled at a later date. This should cut down on duplication of work, as well as increase signposting between resources.

Question – HER Officer 6 – Regarding the question of old to new records – will the HER be called upon to review these? If so, are numbers built in to the programme? Some HERs might struggle with the demands.

Answer – This won’t be process of formal review. The records would still sit within the system. HERs would, however, be given a ‘window to engage’. 

Question – HER Officer 6 – Will the old records be removed?

Answer – They will be copied rather than removed. They will be date stamped and will function as a static snapshot of the old database.

Question – HER Officer 3 – Changes will need to be reviewed in new records by HERs. How will this work?

Answer – Everything will be flagged up as migrated records.

Question – HER Officer 3 – Is the expectation that HER officers will re-validate?

Answer – At this stage they will be simply flagged up.

Question – HER Officer 5 – Will there be an automatic blanket validation or will the process be manual?

Response – Keith May, Historic England – This will depend on how HERs want to approach things.

Comment – HER Officer 6 – This will depend on what the expectation on HERs is.

Comment – HER Officer 3 – Some HERs already have massive validation backlogs and don’t want to have to do things twice. They will need to know the quantities involved now.

Response (KM) –A recent assessment has shown that there was much in the old OASIS system that didn’t actually map to anything. No fundamental content change is envisaged. Most changes will relate to location.

Comment – HIAS Programme Manager, Historic England – Most of these things are ‘not wrong but different’.

Comment – HER Officer 3 – If they relate to issues like incorrect NGR prefixes they will definitely be wrong.

Response (KM) – We will be happy to circulate the report if it will be useful in the testing process.     

HIAS – Heritage Information Access Strategy Update - Keith May (Historic England)
Several of the presentations at this HER Forum are related to the Heritage Information Access Strategy (HIAS), such as the OASIS/HERALD redevelopment work and the plans for the HER Audit Programme. This presentation gives a short update on how other work on HIAS has been progressing and outlines further plans going forward.

Amongst the work on HIAS is the NRHE to HERs data transfer scheme that has opened a call to HERS for bids to develop projects as part of the 5 year programme for transfer of NRHE data to HERs, with eligibility linked to HER participation in HIAS. There is also an update on progress with the National Security Copy project to develop best practice guidance and access protocols. In addition, the work on enhancing the HeritageData.org wordlists; the plans for the minimum units of information on the Heritage Gateway; and the relationship of the HIAS indicators for benefits delivery to the Governments Public Value Framework are also covered.

The Heritage Information Access Strategy is a business and culture change programme for those involved in producing and handling heritage information, supported by a number of incremental IT developments.  The programme seeks to address a number of long standing issues in the handling of English historic environment data, and benefit a wide range of audiences.  The aspirations of HIAS are recognised in the Culture White Paper and Digital Strategy, and in the Heritage Statement 2017.  

For more information about HIAS, please see: https://www.historicengland.org.uk/research/support-and-collaboration/heritage-information-access-strategy/

Question – HER Officer 8 – Looking at the NRHE to HER project, will local authorities be able to include payment in kind as part of their funding contribution?

Answer – HIAS Programme Manager, Historic England – Yes, payment can be made in kind.

Comment – HER Officer 6 – It would be useful to include examples of what might be permissibly incorporated in applications, whether this might be in-house and in-kind work by the HERO or alternatively in payments to an external contractor.

Response – HIAS Programme Manager, Historic England – We will be open to considering different models. Early adopters could thus help to develop the criteria.


Church Heritage Record Burial Ground Survey Project - James Miles (Church Heritage Record)

Introduction
• Churches can (and do) serve as community hubs and can accommodate resources such as post offices or community centres.

• To explain some of the aspects included within the Church of England:
o The Established Church
o Bishops and Bishoprics

• Structural changes to churches are, in the main, processed through the Church Faculty system. Additional considerations here are:
o That Ecclesiastical Exemption from Listed Building Consent applies within the churches’ confines, whereas,
o Changes to a church’s setting will require planning consent from the local authority.

• Presently there are 36 diocese using the Online Faculty System. In total the system has around 10,000 users.

• The Church of England has:
o 16,000 parish churches.
o 42 cathedrals (their physical condition being overseen by the Cathedral Fabric Commissioner for England).

• The Church Heritage Record currently holds 17,317 records.
o The record seeks to add records gleaned from other faith groups. For the Roman Catholic Church this is already well progressed.

• 819 churches appear on the ‘at risk’ record.

• The Church Heritage Record has links with:
o Caring for God’s Acre. 
o The National Biodiversity Network.
o Natural England project on bats (£3.6 million funding)
o The ADS (University of York) Discovering England’s Burial Spaces (DEBS) project.

The National Burial Ground Survey
• Aims to provide an individual record of all burial grounds for all faith groups.

• Is eager to communicate and collaborate with HERs.

• Is opening communication with other faith groups.

Phase 1 of the project involves the diocese of St Edmunds and Ipswich (also including part of the diocese of Norwich). The map of Norwich developed by the survey marks 870 burial locations and also open areas associated with churches, car parks associated with mosques and other places of worship and local authority burial grounds.

• Methodology:
o Open green spaces are being mapped on Shapefiles. Then individual features are mapped within them.
o Participants are provided with locational backpacks.

There is, inevitably, a great deal of work to be done with too little resourcing. It isn’t actually known how many individual sites are involved

The recording itself can include a range of formats including:
• Optional aerial views.
• Burial data and images.
• Register transcriptions.

The aim is to create a central hub for data of this type and to help make this generally available.

Work has been done on Enriching the List and a group of interns will be adding more next summer.  

Comment – Keith May, Historic England – The DEBS project also includes gravestones.

Reply – Caring for God’s Acre are also using this approach. They too seek to involve community groups in the recording process.

Question – HER Officer 9 – Will there ecological data be recorded?

Answer – There is a set form underpinning the statement of significance which does include ecological data. However, whilst this would be ‘great to know’ it probably won’t be core to the project.

Question – HER Officer 10 – Will the project be researching historic burial grounds?

Answer – In the longer term the intention is to cover all burial grounds, whether in current usage or not. We won’t be looking at private burial grounds but most other categories will be included.

Update on High Speed 2 (HS2) – Jon Millward (HS2 Ltd) and Suzy Blake (Staffordshire County Council) 
The HS2 project provides a unique opportunity to further historic environment research and knowledge creation along its route. This paper will focus on works in Phase One of the project, which stretches between London, Birmingham and Lichfield. It will consist of two main elements:

1. an update on the HS2 research process and progress of historic environment works to date
2. the contextualisation of the outputs of this research within an HER paradigm, both positives and challenges

Unlike previous projects in the UK, HS2 has adopted a novel approach to addressing the challenges posed by the scale of the works through the creation of the Generic Written Scheme of Investigation: Historic Environment Research and Delivery Strategy (HERDS). 

HERDS aims to deliver an objective led process that focuses historic environment works to address identified priorities that maximise public benefit. In terms of the historic environment these benefits and outcomes lie in the fields of knowledge creation, engagement with people and the creation of a lasting archival and skills legacy. The HERDS process will be briefly discussed.

Phase One of HS2 is broken into three sections; Area South, Area Central and Area North, respectively. The progress of historic environment works will be considered within each of these areas in turn and key aspects of further works that are planned will be touched upon. A series of route-wide projects have also been undertaken and the findings of these will also be outlined.

Although the works are at a relatively early phase new data has already identified heritage assets that seem likely to write new chapters in the history of settlement and landuse over tracts of England.

Question – HER Officer 8 – When will the decision funding for HER inputting be made?

Answer (SB) – I hope to get more information on this from the responsible post holder at HS2 at the Heritage Sub-group meeting next Tuesday (11-12-18).

Question – HER Officer 8 – Has any decision been made on the deposition of the archive?

Answer (JM) – Not as yet. I will however feed-back your interest to the responsible post holder at HS2.