Archive Services and Price List
Christmas and New Year
Our enquiry and ordering service will be suspended between 21 December 2023 and 1 January 2024 (inclusive). We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause you. Please note the deadlines below:
- Orders for copies - Thursday 30 November 10am
- Contents Summary Service - Thursday 30 November 10am
- Express Orders - Thursday 14 December 10am
- Priority Search Service - Tuesday 19 December 10am
- Priority Plus Search Service - Wednesday 20 December 10am
Any enquiries received after 10am on 20 December will not be picked up until 2 January 2024.
Search services
If you can’t find what you are looking for online, searches for holdings on a single building, for aerial cover or for archaeological information for a small area of interest, are usually free of charge. We aim to tell you what we hold within 15 working days* (3 weeks) of receipt. This may take longer if demand is high.
If your search is large or complex, we may still be able to help, but need to charge for our time – we’ll tell you if a Research Fee applies and ask for your agreement before proceeding. We may refuse complex or voluminous requests to be fair to other Archive users.
If you need results quickly, we offer two priority search services. A separate fee applies to each collection included in the search (aerial photographs/archaeology/buildings):
- Priority Plus Search - a list of search results for enquiries received before 10am on a working day* despatched by 5pm the same day.
- Priority Search - a list of search results for enquiries received before 10am on a working day* despatched by 5pm the next working day.
* Working days are Monday-Friday, excluding bank holidays and a closure period over Christmas and New Year which will be advertised on our web pages.
Contents Summary Service
If you find something of interest in our online catalogue, but can’t visit, we can look at an archive folder or volume, such as a buildings file, on your behalf for a small fee.
We’ll retrieve the folder/volume from our environmentally controlled store and send you a summary of contents so you can decide whether you’d like to visit or order copies.
We will spend no more than 30 minutes on each request.
Copies
All copying is subject to the copyright status and physical condition of the original.
If you intend to use copies for any purpose other than personal reference, you must ask for permission to do so. Historic England reserves the right to charge reproduction fees - please contact us for a Request for Reproduction Permission form.
Reference copies
Digital images, where we have them, can be found on our online catalogue and Aerial Photograph Explorer.
If you can’t see an image online, we can usually make a reference copy if we hold a paper copy of the original. We cannot provide reference copies of items larger than A3 in size (large plans, drawings etc.) – for these items please see Digital copies.
Copies are emailed in a pdf format and are watermarked.
Digital copies
Digital copies are generally suitable for publication quality printing up to A3 @300dpi, (dependent on format and quality of the original).
Images (photos, plans or drawings) that you can see online can usually be supplied as a digital copy from an existing file.
Where we don’t have a digital image, our specialist team can digitise a copy of the original item.
To order an image, email [email protected] with its reference number.
We will contact you by email to confirm your order and the cost before processing your order.
Reports
Original formats vary and may include large plans. We will give you a quote for copying a specific report.
Delivery
Digital images are delivered as an email attachment, or via a web download link.
We aim to deliver digital copies from digital files within 2 weeks and any other copies within 3 weeks, but delivery may take longer if demand is high.
Our Express order service can be used for digital copies with a maximum of 6 items per order:
- Orders must be received by us before 10am and will be despatched in 5 working days*
- Express orders will be charged at double the standard charge.
*Working days are Monday – Friday excluding public holidays and our closure period over the Christmas and New Year break.
Prices – valid until 31 December 2023
| Product | Price (including VAT) | Price (excluding VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Priority Plus search fee | £118.80 | £99.00 |
| Priority search fee | £68.40 | £57.00 |
| Reference copy | £2.40 | £2.00 |
| Research fee (per hour, or part) | £56.40 | £47.00 |
| Content Summary Service | £28.20 | £23.50 |
| Digital image (from digital file) | £15.00 | £12.50 |
| Digital image (from original archive item) | £37.20 | £31.00 |
| Self-service photocopying A4* | £0.30 | £0.25 |
| Self-service photocopying A3* | £0.60 | £0.50 |
| Personal Photography (half day)** | £12.00 | £10.00 |
| Personal Photography (full day)** | £18.00 | £15.00 |
*Public Search Room copier
**You will be asked to sign to agree to terms and conditions of use.
Please note: a minimum order charge of £12.00 (£10.00 excl. VAT) applies.
If you need an alternative format for accessibility, please contact us.
Terms and conditions apply to services and copies supplied.
Payment
Payment for services in the Public Search Room is by credit/debit card only.
For all other services, we will send an invoice to be paid by credit/debit card, BACS or cheque. Information on how to pay is included on the invoice. We may request payment in advance in some circumstances.
If you are purchasing from outside the UK, please contact us before ordering.
Archive Customer Services
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Email
arch[email protected]
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Address
The Engine House,
Fire Fly Avenue,
Swindon,
SN2 2EH
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Phone number
01793 414600
