Donate Your Collection to the Historic England Archive

We focus on collections that record our archaeological, architectural and cultural heritage. Accessible to the public, they allow us to share memories and lived histories of places in England. 

The Historic England Archive holds over 14 million items and continues to grow. We're acquiring collections that shed new light on England's unique historic environment. Can you help us by adding to our archive collections?

Contact us about collections of photographs, drawings and plans, both historic and modern. We're very grateful to everyone who gives us material. Entrusting your collection to us will ensure that future generations will be able to enjoy it.

How do we decide which collections to accept?

In deciding whether to accept a collection offered to us we’ll consider whether:

• The collection fills a gap in our existing holdings or enhances what we already hold
• There’s another archive which would be a more appropriate home for a collection. A local record office is sometimes the best choice for collections about particular places
• The records are original – we don't usually accept copies of material available elsewhere
• The collection is well documented and organised so that we can provide access to researchers

Read the Collections Development Policy

Our latest acquisitions

Every year, we acquire lots of new collections for the Archive. Before they appear online, they need conserving, cataloguing and digitising.

Here are some of our latest acquisitions:

• Norman Brewster Collection
  Norman Brewster first visited Hadrian's Wall in 1962, sparking a life-long enthusiasm for its history and people that visited it. As a personal record of a single monument, his meticulous journals and photography have no equal in the Archive. (Reference: NHB01)
• QA Photos Archive
  QA Photos were commissioned to photograph the construction of the Channel Tunnel, the Millennium Dome, the Jubilee Line Extension and the first phase of the Elizabeth Line Over 200,000 photographs record the progress of these projects. (Reference: QAP01)
• Art and Architecture
  This addition to an existing collection contains around 2,000 colour 35mm slides taken by Graham Cooper and Doug Sargent. The slides show murals and public art, taken in the 1970s for a student project that evolved into publications and an international exhibition. (Reference: AAA02)
• Power Station Brochures
  Collected by Clive Guthrie, who worked for the Central Generating Board, these brochures were produced to commemorate the opening of power stations and reveal the civic pride and innovation in these giant structures, many of which have since been demolished. (Reference: PSB01)
• Robert Sherlock Research Files
  Robert Sherlock was a national expert in chandeliers. His files are topographically arranged and relate to his research, which was widely published. They include drawings, photographs and research notes. (Reference: AQ/24/024)
• Architectural Drawings of Brian M de L Young
  Brian Miles de Lorentz Young was a specialist in historic building conservation, working as a planning officer in various cities, including Glasgow and Bristol. This collection contains around 200 of his architectural drawings, including his family homes. (Reference: YOU01)
• Pearsons of Liverpool Photographs (PLP01)
  This collection contains around 100 digital scans of photographic negatives showing military vehicle assembly in the Wavertree and Edge Hill areas of Liverpool during the Second World War. This work was done by motor vehicle retailer and engineering company, Pearsons. (Reference: PLP01)

Contact us about a donation

If you have records which you think we might be interested in and would like to discuss this further please contact our Archive Services Team:  [email protected].