Formation 2015 Chief Executive Alex Paterson | Region served Scotland | |
Legal status Public bodies of the Scottish Government Headquarters Longmore House, Edinburgh 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 the 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.
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History
Under the terms of a Bill of the Scottish Parliament published on 3 March 2014, RCAHMS and Historic Scotland were dissolved and their functions transferred to Historic Environment Scotland, on 1 October 2015.
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 Place in Time", 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 provide funding and guidance for conservation works and education across Scotland.
Equivalent organisations
Organisations that play a similar role to HES in the other countries of the United Kingdom: