Discover the history of buildings, sites and landscapes.

Every historic place has a story.

A house may have developed from an earlier building. A farm may preserve traces of a medieval landscape. A garden may conceal the remains of a lost structure. A seemingly ordinary building may have connections to the people and events that shaped a community.

Ictis Heritage Research undertakes independent historical and heritage investigations to uncover, understand and document these stories.

Using documentary sources, historic maps, archival material, photographs, buildings, landscapes and other evidence, research can investigate how a place developed, who lived or worked there, how it was used and what survives today.

Projects can range from a simple consultation and site visit to detailed investigations producing comprehensive research reports.

Curious About Your Property?

Start with a Heritage Discovery Visit.

Not every historical question requires a full research project.

Perhaps you’ve always wondered how old your house really is. Maybe there are unusual features you can’t explain, an old map showing something that no longer exists, or simply a feeling that there’s more to the property than you know.

A Heritage Discovery Visit provides an accessible way to start exploring your property’s history.

Before the visit, Ictis undertakes a small amount of preliminary research into the property and its history. We then meet at the property for approximately 1–2 hours, walking through the building and/or site together, discussing what has been discovered and identifying interesting features and evidence along the way.

The visit is informal, collaborative and designed around your questions.

A Heritage Discovery Visit can include:

Preliminary historical research
Review of readily available historic maps and records
A 1–2 hour visit to the property
A guided walkthrough of the building or site
Discussion of architectural and historic features
Identification of possible alterations or phases of development
Discussion of historic maps and documentary evidence
Photographs taken during the visit, where appropriate
Answers to your questions about the property
A short written summary following the visit
Suggestions for further research

The visit can also provide the starting point for a more detailed investigation if you decide you’d like to explore the property further.

Please note: A Heritage Discovery Visit is a historical and heritage consultation. It is not a structural survey, valuation, formal archaeological survey or building condition assessment.

Interested in a Heritage Discovery Visit? Get in touch

What Can We Investigate?

Historic Buildings & Properties

Research into the history, development and character of historic buildings and properties.

This might include:

Houses and cottages
Farmhouses and agricultural buildings
Inns, shops and commercial premises
Churches and other historic buildings
Estate buildings
Former schools, workshops and industrial buildings
Buildings that have been altered, extended or converted
Buildings with an uncertain or poorly understood history

Research can help establish when a building was constructed, how it developed, how it was used and who occupied it.

Historic Sites & Places

A building is only part of its story.

Ictis can investigate the wider history of a site, including gardens, yards, fields, orchards, former buildings and other features that may no longer survive above ground.

Projects might investigate questions such as:

What stood here before the present building?

Has this site always been used in the same way?

Where were the lost buildings shown on old maps?

How has the property changed over time?

Are surviving landscape features evidence of earlier activity?

Historic Landscapes

The character of a landscape is often the result of centuries of change.

Research can examine the development of:

Farms and agricultural landscapes
Parks and estates
Gardens and orchards
Villages and settlements
Field systems
Roads, tracks and boundaries
Industrial and working landscapes
Former land uses and lost features

Historic maps, aerial photographs, estate records, archaeological information and other sources can be brought together to understand how a landscape has changed.

Examples of Projects

Historic & Heritage Investigations can be commissioned for many different reasons.

“I want to know the history of my house.”

Research might establish:

When the building first appears in documentary records
Previous owners and occupants
Changes to the building over time
Earlier uses of the property
Historic map evidence
Extensions, demolitions and alterations
Connections with local families or estates
The wider history of the surrounding area

The result could be a written House History Report, supported by historical maps, photographs, documentary evidence and a clear chronology.

“What was here before the present building?”

A site investigation could examine historic maps, documents, photographs and other evidence to identify earlier buildings or uses.

This could be particularly useful where there are:

Lost or demolished buildings
Former farm buildings
Historic boundaries
Lost gardens or orchards
Industrial features
Possible archaeological remains
Features visible only on historic maps or aerial imagery

“How has this property changed?”

A Building & Site History could reconstruct the development of a property through time.

This might combine documentary research with an inspection of the surviving building and site to identify different phases of development and change.

“Can we find out more about a lost building?”

Ictis can investigate buildings and structures that no longer survive.

For example:

Lost cottages
Former farm buildings
Mills
Dovecotes
Chapels
Schools
Inns
Workshops
Estate buildings
Industrial structures

Historic maps, directories, census records, photographs, estate documents and other sources may help establish where a structure stood, when it existed and how it was used.

“What is the history of this farm or estate?”

Larger investigations can examine the development of a property within its wider landscape.

Research might consider:

Ownership and occupation
Agricultural use
Estate history
Buildings and structures
Fields and boundaries
Gardens and orchards
Historic roads and tracks
Changes shown on historic maps
Connections with neighbouring properties

What Can a Project Include?

Every investigation is different, but research may draw upon a combination of:

Documentary Research

Depending on the project, relevant sources may include:

Historic maps
Census returns
Parish registers
Electoral registers
Trade and local directories
Deeds and title information
Estate records
Wills and probate records
Newspapers
Historic photographs
Sale particulars
Tax records
Local histories
Archives and record offices
Published historical sources

The sources used will depend on the research question and what evidence survives.

Historic Map Research

Maps can reveal remarkable changes to a property or landscape.

Research can compare historic mapping to investigate:

Building footprints
Property boundaries
Roads and tracks
Gardens
Orchards
Field patterns
Lost structures
Changes in land use
Settlement growth

Where appropriate, historic maps can be reproduced and annotated as part of the final project.

Building Investigation

Where appropriate, documentary research can be combined with an inspection of the surviving building.

This may consider:

Plan form
Construction and materials
Architectural features
Extensions
Alterations
Blocked openings
Roof structures
Circulation
Relationship between different parts of the building
Evidence for different phases of development

A building investigation can help connect what survives today with the documentary history of the property.

Site & Landscape Investigation

The wider site can also provide important evidence.

Research may consider:

Gardens
Orchards
Boundaries
Earthworks
Platforms
Former structures
Access routes
Field divisions
Water features
Relationship between buildings and landscape

Where appropriate, observations from a site visit can be combined with historic mapping and documentary evidence.

Possible Project Deliverables

The final output is tailored to the project rather than being a fixed package.

Depending on the scope of the investigation, deliverables may include:

Written Reports

Historic Building History
House History Report
Building & Site History
Historic Site Investigation
Landscape History
Property History
Local History Report
Research Report
Historical Development Report

Supporting Research Material

Research chronology
Ownership and occupancy chronology
Historic map analysis
Annotated historic maps
Documentary source summaries
Bibliography
Archive and source list
Selected historical photographs
Documentary illustrations

Building & Site Documentation

Where appropriate:

Site photographs
Photographic record
Annotated photographs
Sketch plans
Measured observations
Building element notes
Room-by-room observations
Site observations
Phased development diagrams

Digital Outputs

Depending on the project, research may also be presented through:

Digital reports
Illustrated research documents
Annotated maps
Timelines
Digital image collections
Presentation materials
Online historical resources

The final deliverables will always be agreed with the client before work begins.

What Questions Can We Help Answer?

You don’t necessarily need to know exactly what you are looking for before contacting Ictis.

Some projects begin with a very simple question:

“How old is my house?”

Others might begin with:

“Who lived here before us?”

“Why is this building shaped like this?”

“What was this site used for?”

“What stood here before?”

“Why does this old map show a building that no longer exists?”

“How has this farm changed over the last 200 years?”

“Can we understand the history of this village site?”

“Could this feature be evidence of an earlier building?”

These questions can form the starting point for a wider investigation.

A Research Project Tailored to You

There is no standard history of a building, site or landscape.

The appropriate sources, methods and final report depend on the question being investigated, the evidence available and the level of detail required.

A focused project may involve a small number of key sources and produce a concise research report. A larger investigation may combine extensive documentary research, historic mapping, site investigation, photography and detailed analysis.

Before work begins, Ictis will discuss the project with you and agree the proposed scope, research approach and deliverables.

The Research Process

1. Initial Enquiry

Tell us about the building, property, site or question you would like investigated.

2. Project Scoping

We establish what you want to find out, what is already known and what research is likely to be required.

3. Research

Relevant documentary, cartographic and historical sources are identified and examined.

4. Investigation

Where appropriate, research may be combined with a site visit, building observations or photographic recording.

5. Analysis

The evidence is brought together to establish a coherent history and identify areas of uncertainty or further research.

6. Reporting

The findings are presented in a clear, illustrated report or another agreed format.

7. Delivery

You receive the agreed final deliverables and, where appropriate, recommendations for further research.

Have a Building, Site or Historical Question?

Whether you want to investigate the history of your home, understand a historic property, research a lost building or explore the development of a landscape, Ictis can help uncover the evidence.

Get in touch to discuss your project.