| Àrainneachd Eachdraidheil Alba | |
 | |
.jpg) Longmore House inEdinburgh, headquarters of Historic Environment Scotland | |
| Organisation overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1 October 2015; 10 years ago (2015-10-01) |
| Preceding agencies | |
| Type | Non-departmental public body |
| Jurisdiction | Scottish Government |
| Headquarters | Longmore House Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Employees | 1,500+ (incl. volunteers) |
| Minister responsible | |
| Organisation executives |
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| Website | www |
Historic Environment Scotland (HES) (Scottish Gaelic:Àrainneachd Eachdraidheil Alba) is an executivenon-departmental public body responsible for investigating, caring for and promoting Scotland's historic environment. HES was formed in 2015 from the merger of government agencyHistoric Scotland with theRoyal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS).
The responsibilities of HES were formerly split betweenHistoric Scotland, a government agency responsible for properties of national importance, and theRoyal 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 theScottish 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 withcharitable status, governed by a board of trustees appointed by theScottish 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. TheNational 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]
Historic Environment Scotland maintains more than 300 properties of national importance some of which are staffed and charge admission such asEdinburgh Castle,Skara Brae andFort George. These properties have additional features such as guidebooks, books, visitor centres and other resources.
As a result of tactile masonry surveys beginning in 2021 70 sites were either closed or partially closed to the public due to perceived risk of falling masonry. Reopening of some was not anticipated before 2025.[10]
Historic Environment Scotland managesHolyrood Park and following a rock fall from Salisbury Crags in September 2018, closed public access to the Radical Road. Plans to partially reopen it were announced in September 2025.[11]
Historic Environment Scotland is split into several departments, some of which are still under the brand 'Historic Scotland', while others are under the 'Historic Environment Scotland' branding.
Site stewards
The site stewards are the employees responsible for working at the agency's site properties. At certain sites, such asMaeshowe inOrkney, the stewards are trainedtourist guides, and are responsible for providing guided tours of the sites that require them.
Ranger service
The Historic Environment Scotland Ranger service operates at sites that do not have visitor centres, offering free guided tours of outdoor sites for anyone who is present. The Ranger service is made up of predominantly paid staff, plus a number of volunteers.
Monument Conservation Unit
The Monument Conservation Unit is Historic Environment Scotland's maintenance department, responsible for the upkeep of the agency's sites. The department is made up ofconstruction workers such as labourers, joiners and stonemasons. Their tasks range from painting fences and pulling weeds, to constructing stone walls and wooden floors.
Membership under the brand name Historic Scotland is promoted by the organisation, with benefits such as free entry to all their properties and events for the duration of the annual membership, as well as half-price or free entry to properties inEngland (under the care ofEnglish Heritage),Wales (under the care ofCadw), and the Isle of Man (under the care ofManx National Heritage). Lifetime memberships are also available, and all members receive the quarterly magazine 'Historic Scotland'.
In September 2025 the Chairman, Hugh Hall, resigned before the end of his term amidst ongoing press reporting of infighting, racist language, financial impropriety and the misuse of corporate entertainment by senior leaders in the organisation.[12] On 22 September 2025 SirMark Jones was appointed Chairman and on 2 December 2025 an Interim Chief Operating Officer was appointed.[13] TheAuditor General for Scotland published a report on 16 December 2025 that said there were unacceptable weaknesses in HES's governance arrangements and noted that £2.9 million had been spent on the cancelled Archive House project.[14]
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