The Computerized National Archaeological Record for England--its Development and Future Potential for Medieval Studies

The origins and development to date of the computerized National Archaeological Record for England are briefly explored. Analysis of the content of the record identifies it as a valuable tool for researchers in medieval studies requiring data for the location, archaeological history, condition, interpretation and bibliography of most known archaeological sites in England. Development of a thesaurus of site type terminology is outlined and related to the organization and searching of the complex relational database now implemented using ORACLE. Online access potential is analysed, together with the ethical and organizational problems inherent in making such data more widely available. The future potential and possible avenues of development of the record, for use in medieval studies, are assessed.