Annual Report 2018-19

This Annual Report for Historic Environment Scotland (HES) covers the financial year 2018-19. It marks our third year of operation and the last covered by our Corporate Plan for 2016-19, For All Our Futures.

The document highlights a significant year for HES, in which we have: 

• invested over £7.8 million in the historic sites we care for 
• implemented our long term investment plan
• welcomed a record 5.2 million visitors to paid attractions.

Our Historic Scotland Membership increased to over 204,000 individuals, reflecting the importance and relevance of heritage to people of all ages, across Scotland and beyond. 

We maintained our grants programme and in 2018-19 we invested £14.5m through grants for the restoration of buildings, enabling communities across Scotland to keep their heritage alive, and also supporting archaeological projects throughout the country.

In 2018-19, we launched a number of important initiatives, including a strategic policy for the whole historic environment – Historic Environment Policy for Scotland, intended to provide a regulatory framework for the protection of the historic environment which is much more accessible for the public as well as specialists.

Published in tandem with the Annual Report 2018-19 is our Annual Report on the upkeep and management of our Properties in Care (PICs).