Battlefields and Heritage

A collection of resources relating to the protection of battlefield sites

Historic Scotland and Battlefields
Battlefields are one category of site which Historic Scotland are responsible for looking after: this page contains a range of links explaining the background to this, including how this is done, how battlefields are selected for this treatment, and why they are considered to be important.

Historic Scotland Consultation on the Inventory of Battlefields
Historic Scotland are inviting comments on the first stage of the creation of their inventory of Scotland's nationally important battlefields. The set of inventory documents are provided here, including the background to the inventory, a general guide, and a collection of documents relating to some well-known battlefields.

English Heritage Registered Battlefields
English Heritage are similarly responsible for battlefields in England and have already created a Register of Historic Battlefields, identifying 43 different sites. Links from this page provide information about criteria and grading sites, their significance, and the process of registration.

English Heritage Registered Battlefields at risk
Simply registering a battlefield doesn't mean total protection: currently six are considered to be at risk of losing some or all of their historic significance as a consequence of modern development. Links to these together with example case studies of battlefields at risk are provided from this page.

Welsh battlefields
The situation in Wales is more akin to that in Scotland - the Welsh Heritage Minister announced a consultation on the establishment of a Register of Battlefields in Wales to take place in Spring 2010 and some pilot work has been undertaken although a public consultation similar to the Historic Scotland one was due at the end of 2010 but is not yet underway.

The UK Battlefields Trust
This is a UK-wide charity, set up with the intent to protect battlefields and enhance their presentation and use for education. They have also set up a Resource Centre which provides information about battlefields across the UK, although the focus is mainly England at present.

Centre for Battlefield Archaeology
Glasgow University hosts the Centre for Battlefield Archaeology since 2006; the Centre works on the heritage management of battlefields, as well as carries out research and fieldwork and has conducted a number of high profile projects. They also have a Facebook page ...

A Guide to the Archaeology of Conflict (pdf)
The British Archaeological Jobs Resource (BAJR) published a short guide to Battlefield Archaeology in 2005, which, while a little out of date in some areas, still provides a useful set of information about the protection, evaluation, and analysis of battlefield sites.

American Battlefield Protection Program
By way of comparison with the UK situation, the National Park Service of the US Department of the Interior operates a programme of preservation of significant battle sites on American soil.