HE1: Historic and archaeological feature protection

Find out about eligibility and requirements for the historic and archaeological feature protection item.

• From: Rural Payments Agency and Natural England
• Published: 2 April 2015
• Last updated: 3 February 2025 — See all updates

• Grant type: Capital item
• Land use: Educational access, Historic environment, Uplands and Woodland
• Tiers or standalone items: Higher Tier and Standalone capital items
• Funding (per unit per year): More than 50% actual costs

This item is part of Higher Tier Capital Grants 2025. You must read the Capital Grants 2025 guidance to understand the rules and how to apply.

How much you’ll be paid 

Up to 100% of actual costs.

How this item benefits the environment

Conserving or protecting these features in the landscape supports the long-term survival of the historic and archaeological features.

Where you can use this item 

You can use this item if you have either:

• written permission from Natural England (or the Forestry Commission in woodland)
• been contacted by Historic England advisers about applying for HE1: Historic and archaeological feature protection

You can use this item for physical work to conserve or protect individual historic environment features. This work will change land management practices or restore a site.

Examples of this work include:

• removing or moving inappropriate infrastructure, for example, tracks or boundaries where they are damaging to an historic feature
• moving feed sites and restoring the surface
• clearing vegetation and restoring eroded surfaces
• consolidating structures such as ruins or bridges
• de-silting designed waterbodies
• archaeological excavation where needed to preserve ‘by record’ known archaeology that cannot be conserved through other management actions – ‘by record’ means making a record so you can reconstruct it after you have excavated an artefact and destroyed it

You cannot use this item:

• for works on historic (roofed) buildings
• to create a management plan for parklands, historic features or areas – use PA2: Feasibility study instead
• to duplicate work previously funded under Countryside Stewardship or Environmental Stewardship.

You must not carry out any construction work related to the item unless you have approval from the responsible body.

You should discuss and agree requirements that are specific to your site with your adviser.

What you must do to use this item

You must:

• agree a specification with Historic England, Natural England or the Forestry Commission
• provide 3 written quotations for completion of the work including all associated costings with your application
• agree the selected quotation with Historic England, Natural England or the Forestry Commission (the relevant body will contact you)
• complete the works to the agreed specification and timescale
• ensure you have any consents or permissions before starting the work – this can be scheduled monument consent from Historic England, listed building consent from the local planning authority or a felling licence from the Forestry Commission when removing trees

Evidence you must keep 

You must keep and provide with your claim:

• photographs to show the completed works
• a detailed specification

You must also keep and provide on request:

• any consents or permissions connected with the work
• photographs of the feature before works start

Read the record keeping and site visit requirements in the Agreement holder’s guide: Capital Grants, Higher Tier capital grants and Protection and Infrastructure grants for more information.

Advice to help you use this item

The following advice may help you to use this item, but you do not have to follow it to get paid. It’s not part of this item’s requirements. 

Historic and archaeological features 

You can find information on:

• the location of scheduled monuments
• registered parks and gardens
• registered battlefields
• listed buildings
• undesignated historic and archaeological features

You can access this information on:

• the Historic England annual Heritage at Risk register – this identifies historic environment features at high risk from loss or damage
• the MAGIC website for information in map form
• the Selected Heritage Inventory for Natural England website
• the historic environment record
• Historic England’s guidance on farming historic landscapes
• sites of archaeological or historic importance in a Historic Environment Farm Environment Record (HEFER)

Complex sites

There’s no standard specification for this item as all work will need to be specific to the individual site. For complex situations or sites, you may also require a management plan that can be funded through PA2: Feasibility study.

Published 2 April 2015
Last updated 3 February 2025 + show all updates

1. 3 February 2025

   General improvement for clarity.

2. 15 May 2024

   Added references to Historic England to page

3. 13 February 2023

   This item is now available for Higher Tier Capital Grants

4. 1 February 2022

   'Land use' section updated to include woodland. 'Requirements' section updated to include Forestry Commission detail.

5. 11 February 2020

   The Keeping records section of this page has been updated

6. 8 March 2017

   Updated for 2017 applications.

7. 29 March 2016

   Information updated for applications in 2016.

8. 2 April 2015

   First published.