Battlefield Panel

Following the disbandment of a battlefield specific advisory panel by Historic England in 2015, the Battlefields Trust reconstituted a panel in 2018 to provide expert advice to the Trust on:

  1. Addressing development on registered and unregistered battlefields through the planning process and dealing with other threats.
  2. Identifying battlefield research areas that would benefit from investment by the Battlefields Trust and others, and how this might be delivered.
  3. Liaison with National Heritage/Historic Environment organisations, including how such liaison should be carried out. This includes registration/designation applications and amendments.
  4. Advising the Board of the Battlefields Trust on strategy and policy relating to the preservation and protection of battlefields.

The Panel is an independent body and its members need not be Battlefields Trust members.  It provides advice and recommendations to the Battlefields Trust’s Board of Trustees and the Operations Group on issues related to the areas outlined above.  The Trust’s Research and Threats Coordinator acts as Secretary to the Panel and is responsible for:

  1. Coordinating requests for advice from the Trust to the Panel
  2. Ensuring both the Board of Trustees and Operations Group receive advice requested or that which the Panel independently judges needs to be considered by the Trust
  3. Ensuring, as far as possible, that the Panel receives the fullest range of input possible in formulating its advice, including by drawing on the knowledge and expertise of officers within the Trust

It is for the Board of Trustees and Operations Group to make use of the Panel’s advice and recommendations as they see fit in line with their respective spheres of responsibility.  

The Panel aims to include members with the following areas of expertise: planning; battlefield archaeology; medieval warfare; early modern warfare; weaponry; the Battlefields Trust’s planning case history; and links to UK national heritage bodies.

 

The current membership of the Panel is:

Chair:  Michael Rayner

Planning: David Morris

Battlefield archaeology:  Sam Wilson

Medieval warfare:  Professor Anne Curry

Early modern warfare:  Dr Ismini Pells

Weaponry:  Graeme Rimer

Battlefields Trust planning case history:  Simon Marsh

National Heritage bodies:  Vacant

 

The Panel meets twice a year.

 
The Battlefields Resource Centre