Merseyside Archaeological Service

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Merseyside Historic Characterisation Project

Shipwreck on Thurstaston shore

The Merseyside Historic Characterisation Project (MHCP) is an innovative survey, which covers the whole of the urban and rural landscape of the five local authorities of Merseyside. Funded by English Heritage with assistance from five local authorities, the project is due for completion in 2008.

Central to MHCP is the development of methodologies designed to explore and define the historic character of a large urban conurbation.

The method chosen to characterise (define and explain) the existing landscape is applicable to smaller historic towns, large urban centres (identifying historic centres, urban growth and suburban development) and also the surrounding more rural areas. The project is:

• using digital mapping technology to define and describe how the past landscape has influenced what we see around us surviving in today's landscape
• consulting a series of historic maps, aerial photographs and the Merseyside Historic Environment Record to provide information on the history and archaeological interest in an area
• liasing with the Merseyside local authorities, English Heritage and National Museums Liverpool in order to:
  
  • promote the use of the project results to improve how we look after our historic environment (evidence of our past as seen in archaeological remains, historic buildings and landscapes of all periods)
  • explore how to adapt the project results to wider public access