You don’t need to be a music fan to recognize the Abbey Road “zebra crossing.”
Famously featured on the Beatles’ 1969 album cover, the photograph brought international attention to the location and helped solidify Abbey Road Studios—once known as EMI—as a legendary music recording studio.
The studio, while hailed for recording 190 of the Beatles’ 210+ songs, also holds historic significance on its own. Opened in 1931, Abbey Road Studios is the world’s first purpose-built recording studio and has produced a host of other iconic sounds, including Pink Floyd's 1973 album Dark Side of the Moon and the movie soundtracks for Star Wars and Harry Potter.
When rumors surfaced about the possible sale of the building, the studio and nearby crosswalk were quickly listed by English Heritage in 2010. Abbey Road is just one of the many places across London, spanning prehistoric artifacts and World War II bunkers to the remains of Roman walls and Elizabethan theaters, that make up an extraordinarily rich historic environment.
A new digital database now provides users worldwide with access to detailed information on almost 90,000 historic buildings and sites in London, both with and without national designation.
The Greater London Historic Environment Record (GLHER), which contains forty years’ worth of heritage information about the UK capital, is now accessible online through a new and improved digital system. Powered by Arches, an open-source data management software platform created by the Getty Conservation Institute (GCI), the GLHER has recently been revamped, making it open and free to the public.
Getty and Historic England have been collaborating on this work since 2012. Arches—which can be customized and adopted by heritage organizations at no charge—is currently independently employed by over one hundred institutions around the world, identifying and mapping millions of cultural sites.
Such inventorying systems assist conservation professionals in protecting heritage sites that might be threatened by the impacts of development, like Abbey Road, as well as natural disasters and climate change.
“The first step in the conservation process is to identify and understand what heritage places there are that need to be protected, and an inventory is really the tool to do that,” says David Myers, geographer and senior project specialist with the GCI’s Arches team. “You can't protect something if you aren’t aware of it, its cultural significance, and where it's located.”
Previously accessible only through a formal, in-person process, the GLHER is now available online, featuring data on archaeological sites and finds; historic buildings; parks and landscapes; persons of historical interest; and supporting sources. Visitors can search for records by borough (neighborhood), date and time period, and other filters, as well as discover relationships between sites and figures through history. An interactive map of London highlights archaeological locations and historic buildings, making them easy to explore with the “drop of a pin.”
“The GLHER is a constantly evolving source of information. Each new discovery, professional analysis, and report is added to help build as complete a picture as possible of the historic environment of London,” says Stuart Cakebread, GLHER manager at Historic England. “As a rapidly developing city, our knowledge of the past is always growing. Capturing that intelligence has never been more important so that we can protect and celebrate what makes London so special.”
This tool is now available to all London heritage enthusiasts—whether you’re a student interested in the archaeological history of an obscure site or a Beatles fan planning a pilgrimage. Here are some of the heritage sites that can be discovered through the GHLER.
- City Wall at Vine Street
Archaeological evidence suggests that the original Roman wall of London was built more than 1,800 years ago. The original Roman wall was once nearly two miles long and an important defensive force for Londinium, the capital of Roman Britain.
The remaining sections of the London wall have survived the end of the Roman Empire, the Norman Conquest, the Great Fire of London, and the Blitz. In 1979, this section was uncovered by a team of archaeologists and was recently revealed again as part of a new development. The wall has been carefully preserved and can be viewed for free along with a display of historic artifacts.
- The Curtain
The Curtain Theatre was an Elizabethan playhouse in Curtain Close, just outside the City limits. It opened in 1577 and continued staging plays until 1622. The theater’s exact location was later lost until it was rediscovered by archaeologists in 2012.
From 1597 to 1599, it became the premiere venue of Shakespeare's company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men. It is believed that the first performance of Romeo and Juliet took place at the Curtain in 1598. The Lord Chamberlain's Men also performed Ben Jonson's Every Man in His Humour at the Curtain in 1598—with Shakespeare in the cast. The archaeological remains of the theater will soon be displayed in situ as part of the new Museum of Shakespeare.
- Battle of Britain Bunker
Built in 1938, this underground operations room played a crucial role in coordinating air defense during World War II, contributing to victory in the Battle of Britain.
By September 1940, Britain became the first nation in history to retain its freedom through air power. The Royal Air Force ended the aura of Nazi invincibility that had defined Blitzkrieg tactics across Europe and offered a glimmer of hope to resistance movements in occupied countries. The bunker can still be visited today.
- The 100 Club
London’s iconic 100 Club has hosted live music since 1942 and is considered one of the oldest independent venues worldwide.
Throughout the decades, the venue has been known for its championing of groundbreaking scenes and artists. Considered the birthplace of British jazz and punk, the club has seen artists such as Glenn Miller, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Sex Pistols, The Clash, Louis Armstrong, Miriam Makeba and Hugh Masekela, and The Rolling Stones. This historic site continues to showcase some of the most exciting new music in London.
Developed through collaboration between Getty, Historic England, and the City of Lincoln, England, Arches for HERs was also made available this month. Arches for HERs is a software package tailored for the specific needs of UK heritage organizations, including England’s more than 80 Local Authority Historic Environment Records (HERs).
