Marine Data, Access, and Interoperability: Two Case Studies of English National Records

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to discuss the long-term management of marine historic environment archives, focusing on the comparison of English Heritage’s National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE) with the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO) as case studies.

Within marine (and terrestrial) contexts, archaeological archives are unique records of survey, excavation, and associated research of the historic environment. They are a resource which allows understanding of the human past to be developed, reviewed, and reinterpreted as new data is gathered. As such, they are significant for research, development-led studies, education, outreach, and public enjoyment. At a time when there is a significant focus on data from the marine environment, both within the UK and more widely across Europe, this paper puts forward some initial recommendations to enable further interoperability between these two key national datasets.

Analysis of these datasets highlighted some interesting points, including the quantification and qualification of the scale of discrepancies between data providers (NRHE and UKHO), and how these can be overcome to allow comprehensive, reliable, and accessible data on which to base long-term planning, decision-making, and resource management. This will ensure a consistent approach, enabling the successful long-term management of historic environment archives, and making historic environment data readily accessible to the wider public.

Keywords:

• management
• historic environment
• NRHE
• UKHO
• interoperability
• digital data
• archives

Acknowledgements

We are very grateful to Serena Cant for her input as part of the ‘Our Marine Historic Environment: Enhancing the National Monuments Record’ project, as well as Martin Newman, Helen Keeley, and Olivia Merritt. We are also thankful to Kathy Dagless for commenting on this paper.

We also thank English Heritage and the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund for providing funds for the ‘Our Marine Historic Environment: Enhancing the National Monuments Record’ research project.

Notes

1 See <http://www.oceannet.org/> [accessed November 2013].

2 See <http://www.oceannet.org/online_data_by_theme/ international_data_initiatives/> [accessed November 2013].

3 See <http://www.dnf.org/> [accessed November 2013].

4 See <http://www.safe.com/> [accessed November 2013].

5 See <http://thesaurus.english-heritage.org.uk/> [accessed November 2013].