Historic Environment Scotland

Scottish government agency

Historic Environment ScotlandÀrainneachd Eachdraidheil Alba

Longmore House in Edinburgh, headquarters of Historic Environment Scotland
Organisation overview
Formed| 1 October 2015; 9 years ago (2015-10-01)
Preceding agencies|

* Historic Scotland
* Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland

Type| Non-departmental public body
Jurisdiction| Scotland
Headquarters| Longmore House
Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
Employees| 1,500+ (incl. volunteers)
Minister responsible|

* Angus Robertson MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Culture

Organisation executives|

* Hugh Hall, Chairman
* Katerina Brown, Chief Executive

Website| www.historicenvironment.scot

Historic Environment Scotland (HES) (Scottish Gaelic: Àrainneachd Eachdraidheil Alba) is an executive non-departmental public body responsible for investigating, caring for and promoting Scotland's historic environment. HES was formed in 2015 from the merger of government agency Historic Scotland with the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS). Among other duties, Historic Environment Scotland maintains more than 300 properties of national importance including Edinburgh Castle, Skara Brae and Fort George.

## History

[edit]

The responsibilities of HES were formerly split between Historic Scotland, a government agency responsible for properties of national importance, and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), which collected and managed records about Scotland's historic environment.[1] Under the terms of a Bill of the Scottish Parliament published on 3 March 2014,[2] the pair were dissolved and their functions transferred to Historic Environment Scotland, on 1 October 2015.[3]

Historic Environment Scotland is a non-departmental public body with charitable status, governed by a board of trustees appointed by the Scottish Ministers. The body is charged with implementing "Our Past, Our Future", Scotland's historic environment strategy, and has responsibility for buildings and monuments in state care, as well as national collections of manuscripts, drawings and photographs. Beyond these collections, Historic Environment Scotland provides funding and guidance for conservation works and education across Scotland.[4]

Historic Environment Scotland's first Chief Executive was Alex Paterson from 2016-2023,[5] with his successor Katerina Brown appointed in September 2024.[6]

Canmore was an online database maintained by Historic Environment Scotland until 2025 when it was replaced by Trove.[7] Previously it was maintained by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. The National Collection of Aerial Photography is also now a sub-brand of HES.[8] The collections are primarily stored in John Sinclair House and plans for a new collection centre, Archive House in Bonnyrigg, were announced in July 2023 with completion by 2026 anticipated. These plans were suspended in July 2024 due to escalating costs.[9]

## See also

[edit]

* List of Historic Environment Scotland properties
* Listed buildings in Scotland
* Scheduled monument
* Scottish Ten
* NatureScot
* National Trust for Scotland
* Who Built Scotland
* Organisations which play a similar role to HES in the other countries of the United Kingdom:
* Cadw and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales
* Historic England and English Heritage
* The Historic Environment Division of the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland (previously part of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "A new lead public body for the historic environment" (PDF). Historic Environment Scotland.
2. ^ "Historic Environment Scotland Bill". Scottish Parliament. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
3. ^ McKenzie, Steven (30 September 2015). "Monuments body RCAHMS produces final report ahead of merger". BBC News. Archived from the original on 15 September 2016.
4. ^ "About Historic Environment Scotland". Historic Environment Scotland.
5. ^ "Statement from Alex Paterson | HistEnvScot". www.historicenvironment.scot. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
6. ^ "Historic Environment Scotland appoints new CEO | Historic Environment Scotland". www.historicenvironment.scot. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
7. ^ "Retiral of HES web services | Historic Environment Scotland". www.historicenvironment.scot. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
8. ^ "National Collection of Aerial Photography". www.historicenvironment.scot. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
9. ^ Hardaker, Alistair (29 July 2024). "Rising costs force Historic Environment Scotland to pause 'Archive House' project". Museums + Heritage. Retrieved 28 July 2025.

## External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Historic Environment Scotland.

* Official website

* v
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Public bodies of the Scottish Government

Non-ministerial offices|

* Consumer Scotland
* Environmental Standards Scotland
* Food Standards Scotland
* National Records of Scotland
* Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator
* Registers of Scotland
* Revenue Scotland
* Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service
* Scottish Fiscal Commission
* Scottish Housing Regulator

Executive non-departmental public bodies|

* Accounts Commission for Scotland
* Architecture and Design Scotland
* Bòrd na Gàidhlig
* Cairngorms National Park Authority
* Care Inspectorate
* Children's Hearings Scotland
* Community Justice Scotland
* Creative Scotland
* Crofting Commission
* David MacBrayne Ltd
* Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) Ltd
* Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd
* Highlands and Islands Enterprise
* Historic Environment Scotland
* Independent Living Fund Scotland
* The Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority
* National Galleries Scotland
* National Library of Scotland
* National Museums Scotland
* NatureScot
* Police Investigations and Review Commissioner
* Quality Meat Scotland
* Redress Scotland
* Risk Management Authority
* Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
* Scottish Agricultural Wages Board
* Scottish Canals
* Scottish Children's Reporter Administration
* Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission
* Scottish Enterprise
* Scottish Environment Protection Agency
* Scottish Funding Council
* Scottish Futures Trust
* Scottish Land Commission
* Scottish Legal Aid Board
* Scottish Legal Complaints Commission
* Scottish National Investment Bank
* Scottish Qualifications Authority
* Scottish Rail Holdings
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* Skills Development Scotland
* South of Scotland Enterprise
* sportscotland
* VisitScotland
* Water Industry Commission for Scotland

Advisory non-departmental public bodies|

* Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland
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* Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland
* Scottish Advisory Committee on Distinction Awards
* Scottish Commission on Social Security
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Executive agencies|

* Accountant in Bankruptcy
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* Education Scotland
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* Scottish Forestry
* Scottish Prison Service
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Tribunals|

* Upper Tribunal for Scotland
* First-tier Tribunal for Scotland
* Children's panels
* Council Tax Reduction Review Panel
* Lands Tribunal for Scotland
* Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland
* NHS Tribunal
* Parole Board for Scotland
* Pensions Appeals Tribunal
* Police appeals tribunal
* Scottish Solicitors Discipline Tribunal
* Valuation Appeal Committee

NHS Scotland|

| Regional health boards|

* Ayrshire and Arran
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* Fife
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* Greater Glasgow and Clyde
* Highland
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* Tayside
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|

Special health boards|

* Golden Jubilee University National Hospital
* Healthcare Improvement Scotland
* NHS 24
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* Public Health Scotland
* Scottish Ambulance Service
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Public corporations|

* Caledonian Maritime Assets
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* Glasgow Prestwick Airport
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Other significant public bodies|

* Audit Scotland
* Convener of School Closure Review Panels
* Court of Lord Lyon
* Drinking Water Quality Regulator
* HM Inspector of Constabulary in Scotland
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* HM Fire Service Inspectorate in Scotland
* Justices of the Peace Advisory Committee
* King's Printer for Scotland
* Police Negotiating Board for Scotland
* Scottish Fire and Rescue Service
* Scottish Police Authority
* Scottish Road Works Commissioner

* v
* t
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Tourism in Scotland

* Economy of Scotland

Organisations|

* VisitScotland
* Historic Environment Scotland
* National Trust for Scotland
* Wild Scotland

Lists of attractions|

* Historic Scotland properties
* National Trust properties
* World Heritage Sites
* Castles
* National parks
* National scenic areas
* Country parks
* Lochs
* Amusement parks
* Gardens
* Golf
* Monastic houses
* Waterfalls
* Mountains
* highest
* Zoos
* Scotch whisky
* Sports venues
* Seaside resorts
* National nature reserves
* Theatres
* Museums

Related|

* Transport
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* Culture

Scotland portal

* Category
* Commons

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Protected areas of Scotland

Environmental designations|

* National parks
* National nature reserves
* National scenic areas
* Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs)
* Special Areas of Conservation
* Special Protection Areas
* Marine Protected Areas
* Ramsar sites

Historic and cultural designations|

* Listed buildings (list)
* Scheduled monuments (list)
* Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes
* Inventory of Historic Battlefields

Mixed and non-statutory designations|

* World Heritage Sites
* Local nature reserves (list)
* Conservation areas
* Forest parks
* Regional parks

Organisations|

* Historic Environment Scotland
* NatureScot
* National Trust for Scotland (list)
* John Muir Trust
* Scottish Wildlife Trust
* RSPB Scotland (list)
* Woodland Trust

Scotland portal

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF

National|

* United States
* Israel

Other|

* Yale LUX

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