and implementing software for the com-

pilation of the current review of lists

intended to bring the older lists up to the

standard of more recent survey work.

About one-fifth to one-quarter of build-

ing records are due to be reviewed in this

way by the end of the year. The Pro-

gramme is a Clipper compiled version of

DBase and is in use by fieldworkers and

inspectors at English Heritage headquar-

ters. Clipper was chosen because of the

requirement to input large amounts of

descriptive text.

“CORE” MINIMUM DATA

The List Review software is an interim sys-

tem designed to handle the flow of data

from fieldworker to Fortress House and is

currently only supplied for that specific

purpose. The data include those required

for the form of the statutory list, mainly

location, status and building description,

together with the minimum level of

indexing of data compatible with the

resources available for list review, ie build-

ing type, period, notable artists/architects

etc and roof and wall material.

Four-fifths of listed building records will

not be reviewed and the omissions and

inconsistencies in some of the existing lists

as they have changed over time are well

known. For that reason, a “core” of data

Over the years many

of the existing records

of English Heritage (and

its predecessors) such as

those of scheduled

monuments have literally

been wearing out through

use. This is not

altogether surprising

required to identify a building has been

incorporated at the heart of the list review

system and is also included in the Clipper/

DBase system for buildings at risk des-

cribed by Vanessa Brand. This core is likely

to be similar to that adopted in any

national system since many of the records

inherited are not complete enough to deal

with the full range of index fields often

included in buildings recording system.

DATA STANDARDS

The consistency of data between the

various record systems at local and

national level dealing with monuments

and buildings is important, particularly

relating to basic information on types of

building or monument and period as well

as addresses and National Grid references.

This is an area where English Heritage

intends to work closely with RCHME in

support for its new role as the lead in

liaison with county Sites and Monuments

Records. Agreement has been reached bet-

ween both of the national bodies and the

Association of County Archaeological

Officers on a data transfer standard for

exchanges of monument data between

them.

More work needs to be carried out in the

historic buildings arena, but English

Heritage intends to collaborate with

RCHME on a draft standard for consulta-

tion with local authorities and others and

this is due to be issued during 1990.

An additional area where standards are

essential is vocabulary control. The joint

RCHME/English Heritage thesaurus of

architectural terms is one contribution

towards discussion and it is hoped to

follow it shortly with a companion

thesaurus for archaeology.

Consideration of national data standards

is still at a very early stage and there is now

a need for continuing discussion and con-

sultation in the light of experience.

Nigel Clubb is Head of the Records Office at

English Heritage.