Archaeological and historic building interventions, investigations and other similar activities (e.g. excavations, field surveys, photographic recording, geophysics etc.) in Cornwall and Scilly are all recorded by the by the HER team in the Historic Buildings, Sites and Monuments Record (HBSMR). These projects are termed 'Events' since they occur at a particular time, in a particular place with a specific aim.
Usually 'Events' are the result of archaeological and historic building conditions applied during the planning process or are the findings of independent academic research. However they may also simply record the fact that someone somewhere discovered a new site or artefact purely by chance.
Event records are used to update the HBSMR where they identify new and previously unknown sites or where they provide more detailed or new information which can be used to update existing records. They are also a very useful way to disseminate the results of a project to wider audiences. Many contain new and valuable information which is critical for improving our understanding of Cornwall's past. They supplement the standard site, monument and building specific records that form the main body of the HBSMR.
The HER participates in a national project to collate the results of such work. This initiative, called Online AccesS to the Index of archaeological investigationS (OASIS), aims to provide an online index to the mass of archaeological 'grey literature' (ie. unpublished reports) that has been produced as a result of, largely, developer funded fieldwork and projects undertaken by reserachers and volunteers.
Contributing to the OASIS project enables information about Cornwall and Scilly to be catalogued onto the national Archaeological Data Service (ADS) website where reports are made available directly through the Unpublished Fieldwork Reports Library, Here it is possible to search and retrieve reports based on a variety of different search criteria.
Event report numbers are generally prefixed with either the year followed by the HES report number (e.g. 1999R001) or by ER signifying an external report, or by CA indicating that the event is recorded in a volume of 'Cornish Archaeology', the journal of the Cornwall Archaeological Society. Most HES reports are available to download via intranet and Access to Monuments mapping. External reports and CA journals are available to view in the office of Cornwall Council's HER team.
Accuracy of Content:
The level of detail and the accuracy of the information held on each site reflects the nature or content of the sources used to compile the record. Users of this data should consult the HER to clarify the level of reliability and/or precision that should be afforded to information derived from the HBSMR.
The Site and its Content is provided for your general information only; we do not undertake that Content will always be accurate and complete. Therefore, if you propose to do, or refrain from doing, something in reliance upon Content you find on the Site, you must check the accuracy of the relevant Content by some other means.
