Historic England has launched a new image database
(Picture: Historic England)Historic England has released thousands of images showing how the nation’s iconic landmarks have changed over 100 years.
As part of the organisation’s new Aerial Photograph Explorer Tool, the public can see incredible photos which show how England’s landscape has changed.
More than 400,000 birds eye images from 1919 to the present day have now been added to the tool, which covers 30 per cent of the country.
The images range from the remains of Neolithic structures in Sherbourne, Warwickshire and Broughton, Hampshire to medieval villages such as Old Sulby in Northamptonshire.
A wealth of pictures spanning back to the Second World War are included in the collection, namely the Tholthorpe airfield in North Yorkshire and the damage caused to Coventry during the Blitz.
The collection also includes two black and white images of Liverpool city centre and Albert Docks, both of which sustained severe damage during the Second World War.
Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Historic England, said: “I am delighted that our new online tool will allow people to easily access our wonderful collection of aerial images and enjoy the historic photography that our team uses every day to unlock the mysteries of England’s past.”
Other pictures show views of Newcastle’s St James’ Park in 1927 and St Paul’s Cathedral after the war.
While more modern photos include the construction of the Tilbury power station in 1955, Birmingham Bull Ring and Scunthorpe Steelworks.
Nigel Huddleston MP, Minister for Heritage said "What better way to discover our shared history than through this fascinating new online tool which offers a bird’s eye view of our past.
“I can’t wait to discover more about my local area and encourage everyone to explore the thousands of English sites from the last century."
