Missing Pieces Project: How to Make a Contribution
All over England are places with stories to tell: from buildings to battlefields, some on your doorstep, others just a day trip away. Their stories are still being written, and they won’t be complete until you share your side.
This page provides guidance on how to contribute to the Missing Pieces Project, including what to add, how to add it, and how it will be moderated.
How to make a contribution
Step 1: Sign into your account
If you haven't already, create an account and sign in.
On desktop, you can sign in via the icon in the navigation bar at the top of the page.
On mobile devices, you can find the option to sign in within the burger menu.
Step 2: Search the List
Search the National Heritage List for England ('the List') to find an existing list entry using the text search, map search, or Advanced Search (with extra filters).
Step 3: Choose an entry
Once you've found a list entry you'd like to contribute to, click its link to go to an overview page showing key information such as the listing grade, entry number, and the date the entry was first listed.
Step 4: View existing contributions
Select the Comments and Photos tab. This will show you existing contributions for your selected list entry.
Step 5: Open the contribution window
At this stage, when signed into an account, a yellow box will be visible under the title of ‘Comments and Photos’, prompting you to add your missing pieces. Select ‘add your comments, photos or videos now’ to open the contribution window.
Step 6: Add your missing pieces
A window will appear with the list entry location automatically marked on a map. Enter your text using the ‘Enter your contribution’ box. Add up to four images via the ‘Add your photos’ button, or a YouTube video by clicking ‘Add a YouTube Video’ and pasting your link into the box.
Step 7: Submit for moderation
When you have finished, click the blue ‘Submit for approval’ button to send your contribution to the Moderation team. You will receive a confirmation email once your contribution has been approved.
What can I contribute?
You can add contributions to entries on the National Heritage List for England:
- Listed buildings
- Scheduled monuments
- Protected wreck sites
- Parks and gardens
- Battlefields
- World Heritage Sites
Many list entries are quite brief, particularly older ones. We need your help to tell the stories of these nationally important historic places and expand the information available.
This might include:
- Text that details the architecture, history or archaeology of a building or site
- Text that summarises the social history or your personal experience of a historic place. How did it make you feel being there? What questions does this site prompt in you? Do you or your family have a connection to the place?
- Links to other web pages, such as valuable online resources or connected list entries
- Photographs that show interiors, exteriors, a site’s place within the wider landscape, or details that demonstrate its character or development
- YouTube videos that document a site from the air or provide more information about its history
What should I avoid?
🚫 Corrections
If you think a list entry is incorrect, you can let us know by asking for a minor amendment.
🚫 Personal information
Please do not contribute information that can be used to identify an individual.
- Avoid people and faces in the foreground of photos
- Avoid or blur out car registration plates
🚫 Advertising and promotion
Please do not add contributions that feature adverts or commercial activity. Your contribution may be rejected if it is not historically relevant to the list entry.
🚫 Copyrighted imagery
Photographs must be yours. If contributing a historical image, you must have the rights to upload it. We may reject or remove photos if we believe this to not be the case or if we receive a complaint of copyright infringement.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Contributing content
Do I need to register to contribute?
Yes. We ask you to register online to be able to contribute, and so that you get credit for the information and photos you provide. We may also need to contact you in relation to your submission. Registration takes around 5 minutes.
Can I include information about people and events associated with a building or site?
Yes. Historic interest related to people or events is an important part of listing, so please do include this information where it is relevant.
Can I include links to other related entries in the list?
Yes. Where there is a connection or a useful comparison to be made to another list entry, please mention the List Entry Number that's shown on that place's list entry.
Can I include links to external websites?
Yes. Please do include full website addresses to external material within your text where there is additional information published online such as a report, historic photograph, or record in another database.
This is particularly useful for linking to resources from local archives or local Historic Environment Records. It is also useful to include references to other published material not available online, such as books.
Do I need permission from the building owner to take photos?
Photos must be taken from public land or public rights of way. If taken from private land, permission must have been explicitly granted by the owner for the photo to be taken and uploaded. We may reject or remove the photo if we believe this is not the case or if we receive a complaint.
I have a collection of photos or images about a list entry, are you interested in them for the Archive?
The Historic England Archive accepts donations relevant to its collecting remit. Please see the Archive Acquisitions page for further details.
Moderation of content
Will content be moderated?
Yes. Historic England will check all content to make sure it is appropriate and meets our Missing Pieces Project Terms and Conditions.
Will content be checked for accuracy?
No. Historic England will only make sure that content is appropriate.
If my content is accepted, when will it appear online and how will I know?
Content will appear as soon as Historic England has checked it. We try to do this within 2 working days. You will receive a confirmation email once your contribution has been approved.
What happens if my content isn't accepted?
We will send you an email explaining why your content hasn't been accepted. This will help you to meet the requirements for publication of future contributions.
What do I do if I want to comment on information submitted by someone else?
You will be able to comment on content submitted by another user to provide more information on the point they are making. If you disagree with a comment, please provide evidence as to why it might be wrong and please be polite, remembering that we are all trying to help improve the information available.
Privacy
Will my contributions be attributed to me? Will my details be available online?
Your name will appear against your information. However, your contact details will only be visible to Historic England and will not be shared without your permission.
Will the content I add be used for anything else? Will I retain the copyright?
The information you supply will be visible to all users of the List and as such will be available to all those involved in protecting, managing and preserving the historic environment.
You will retain the copyright of your photos. The images will, however, be available for use under licence with an acknowledgement.
Can I contact another contributor?
No. Contributor contact details are only visible to Historic England.
Will my details be used for anything else?
Your details will only be used in relation to the information you supply to the Missing Pieces Project, unless you state that you wish to receive other information from Historic England.
