Mapping the Towns: English Heritage's Urban Survey and Characterisation Programme

Since 1992, English Heritage has been supporting a major programme of map-based survey, analysis and characterisation of urban landscapes in England. There are three main strands in this work: intensive surveys (involving the creation of Urban Archaeological Databases) for the historic cores of thirty-five major historic towns and cities; surveys of smaller towns on a county-by-county basis (Extensive Urban Survey); and a modified version of Extensive Urban Survey, drawing heavily on Historic Landscape Characterisation methodology, for major industrial conurbations, such as Merseyside and the Black Country. Over half the country (some 700 individual towns) has now been covered by this work.This paper outlines the context and aims of the programme; describes the methodologies being used; reviews progress to date; and highlights the value of the surveys as a resource for academic research as well as for conservation and planning.