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Stunning photos show a century of England from the air

Historic England has made over 400,000 aerial photographs available to view online for the first time as it launched its Aerial Photograph Explorer tool.

Tuesday 22 March 2022 14:49, UK

Over 400,000 aerial photographs are available to view PIC:Historic England
Image: Over 400,000 aerial photographs are available to view. Pic: Historic England
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Photographs have been released to the public showing thousands of historic sites in England, from Second World War defences and nuclear power stations to the remains of Neolithic monuments, Roman farmsteads and medieval villages.

Historic England has made over 400,000 aerial photographs available to view online for the first time as it launched its .

Users can search and explore a map showing aerial photographs taken in England over the last 100 years.

Below is a selection of some of the images that can be found using the tool.

NORTH EAST Souter Lighthouse The Souter lighthouse was built in 1871 to protect shipping from the hazardous coastline in this part of Britain. The structure was pioneering, being the first lighthouse in the world to be powered by electricity. 20925_010 漏 Historic England 06/08/2009 Photographer David Macleod
Image: Souter Lighthouse in South Shields, Tyne & Wear. Pic: Historic England
The British airship R101 was a rigid airship built by the Air Ministry at the Royal Airship Works, Cardington. Its maiden flight was on the 14th October 1929 which started with a short circuit over Bedford.
Image: The British airship R101 was a rigid airship built by the Air Ministry at the Royal Airship Works, Cardington. Its maiden flight was on the 14th October 1929 which started with a short circuit over Bedford. Pic: Historic England
MIDLANDS Coventry after the air raids - This post-war view of Coventry taken in 1948 shows the effects of the blitz and acts as a reminder that bomb damage was a feature of many British towns and cities long after the war had ended. The ruined cathedral is at the centre of the image. The remains of cellars and narrow property boundaries can be seen within the cleared bombsite at the bottom of the photograph. To the right of the cathedral are buildings that survive only as roofless shells.
Image: Post-war view of Coventry, taken in 1948. Pic: Historic England
Coventry after the 1940 air raids - This RAF reconnaissance photograph of Coventry was taken about 6 months after the devastating air raid of November 1940. Large open areas mark the cleared bombsites and show as light grey areas amongst the darker pattern of surviving buildings.
Image: This RAF reconnaissance photograph of Coventry was taken about six months after the devastating air raid of November 1940. Pic: Historic England
Terry鈥檚 Chocolate Works, York The City of York thrived on the confectionary industry for many years. One of the major companies was Terry鈥檚, which built a new factory in 1926. The Terry鈥檚 factory closed in 2005 and when this photograph was taken in 2014 the factory was being converted for residential purposes.
Image: Terry鈥檚 Chocolate Works, York, in 2014. Pic: Historic England
Minehead Fish trap - Close up of one of dozens of V-shaped fish traps on the beach at Minehead. As the tide goes out fish are funnelled to the end and caught in a basket or net. Similar traps have been used up until recent times, but their origins seem to be in the Anglo-Saxon to Medieval periods with those further out in the intertidal zone probably earliest in date. The wooden stakes associated with the stone weir in nearby Blue Anchor Bay were carbon-dated to Cal AD 985-1120 and Cal AD 1015-
Image: Close up of one of dozens of V-shaped fish traps on the beach at Minehead. Pic: Historic England
Gatwick Airport - Gatwick airport was first built in the late 1920s with the Beehive terminal building built in 1935. During the Second World War the Beehive and surrounding hangars were camouflaged and the grass runways were disguised by painting a pattern of fake field boundaries across the airfield. RAF_D26_PO_04628 (c) Historic England Archive (RAF photography) 27/06/1941
Image: Gatwick Airport was first built in the late 1920s with the Beehive terminal building built in 1935, this picture was taken in 1941. Pic: Historic England
Second World War barrage balloon - This 1940 aerial photograph shows a Second World War barrage balloon between Rotherham and Sheffield. Barrage balloons were an important element in airborne defence and were raised to make enemy aircraft fly higher over their intended targets. Balloons were about 62 feet long and could fly up to 5000 feet to make enemy bombing less accurate and force a route that brought them in to the range of anti-aircraft guns.
Image: This 1940 aerial photograph shows a Second World War barrage balloon between Rotherham and Sheffield. Pic: Historic England
Historic England Manchester Airport - The photograph shows Manchester airport today.There are now three civilian terminal buildings and two parallel runways. Unusually, there are many aircraft on the stands, but none getting ready to line up on the runway and very few cars in the car park in the foreground. This photograph was taken in April 2021 when there was limited international travel due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Image: Manchester Airport today. Pic: Historic England
his photograph shows the aftermath of the biggest non-nuclear explosion in the world. It occurred at RAF Fauld underground munitions depot in late 1944. Credit: Historic England
Image: This photograph shows the aftermath of the biggest non-nuclear explosion in the world at RAF Fauld underground munitions depot in late 1944. Pic: Historic England
Scunthorpe Scunthorpe Steelworks is the last fully integrated steelworks operating in England. At the heart of the process are the blast furnaces where molten iron is produced from iron ore, coke and limestone. The four blast furnaces at Scunthorpe are named after queens of England. Queen Anne, seen here, was commissioned in 1954 and can produce over 1000 tons of iron per day. 28843_042 漏 Historic England 13/01/2016 Photographer David Macleod
Image: Scunthorpe Steelworks is the last fully integrated steelworks operating in England. Pic: Historic England
SOUTH WEST Bishop Rock Lighthouse, Isles of Scilly - Bishop Rock lighthouse is the most westerly and southerly listed building in England. It was built by Trinity House between 1852 and 1858 and replaced an earlier iron lighthouse. The workers who built the lighthouse lived on the nearby island of Rosevear and what remains of their base is a scheduled monument. 29/09/2015 漏Historic England 29034_016 Photographer Damian Grady
Image: Bishop Rock Lighthouse, Isles of Scilly. Pic: Historic England
Midland Hotel, Morecambe The Midland Hotel in Morecambe opened in 1933 and this photograph was taken around a year later. It was built by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company and is a north west icon of Art Deco architecture, now protected as a Grade II* listed building. EPR000309 漏 Historic England. Aerofilms Collection 03/08/1934
Image: The Midland Hotel in Morecambe opened in 1933 and this photograph was taken around a year later. Pic: Historic England
NORTH EAST Sunderland Sunderland鈥檚 shipbuilding heritage stretches back hundreds of years. By the 19th century it was one of the most important shipbuilding centres in the world. This image shows the MV Andulo, which was built by Bartram & Sons, and was probably taken to record its completion in May 1949. EAW022799 漏 Historic England. Aerofilms Collection 01/05/1949
Image: Sunderland鈥檚 shipbuilding heritage stretches back hundreds of years, this photograph was taken in 1949. Pic: Historic England
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire Sandford Parks lido was opened in 1935 during the golden age of lido construction, when outdoor swimming became popular. This aerial photograph clearly shows that outdoor swimming was still popular on a Saturday afternoon on 31 May 1947. Unlike many of the other 1930s lido the Sandford Parks lido is still popular today. EAW006517 漏 Historic England. Aerofilms Collection 31/05/1947
Image: Sandford Parks lido in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire was opened in 1935 during the golden age of lido construction. Pic: Historic England
Bristol Temple Meads railway station and City Centre Bristol Temple Meads railway station in 1938. The station was built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel as the terminus of the Great Western Railway鈥檚 London to Bristol line established in 1839-41. The line was subsequently extended to Exeter and the station expanded. EPW060120 漏 Historic England. Aerofilms Collection, 01/11/1939
Image: Bristol Temple Meads railway station in 1938. Pic: Historic England
NORTH EAST Tees Newport Bridge The Tees Newport bridge was opened in 1934 and this image shows it just a few months before, in June 1933. It was the first vertical-lift bridge in England, meaning that its centre span was raised and lowered to allow shipping to pass underneath. It was Grade II listed in 1988. EPW042126 漏 Historic England. Aerofilms Collection 01/06/1933
Image: The Tees Newport Bridge was opened in 1934 and this image shows it just a few months before, in June 1933. Pic: Historic England
St James鈥� Park football ground, Newcastle, in 1927. A photograph of St James鈥� Park in October 1927 when only the west stand was covered.
Image: St James鈥� Park football ground, Newcastle, in 1927. Pic: Historic England
OLDEST IMAGE ON APEX LONDON London Aerodrome, Hendon The oldest aerial photograph that is on the Aerial Photograph Explorer is the first photograph taken by Aerofilms on 26 July 1919, two months after the company was founded.
Image: The oldest aerial photograph on the Aerial Photograph Explorer is the first photograph taken by Aerofilms on 26 July 1919, two months after the company was founded. Pic: Historic England
EAST OF ENGLAND Norwich Bus Station Norwich Bus Station opened on 30 August 2005. With its distinctive steel roof, it won the 2006 SCALA Civic Building of the Year Award is seen best from above. 26786_040 漏Historic England 03/08/2010 Photographer Damian Grady
Image: Norwich Bus Station opened on 30 August 2005. Pic: Historic England
Crosby, Liverpool During the Second World War coastal defences took many forms to try and slow down an amphibious landing from the sea. Here at Blundellsands near Cosby large concrete blocks are positioned to prevent armoured vehicles from moving up the beach. Further up barbed wire is designed to slow down soldiers from advancing.
Image: During the Second World War coastal defences took many forms to try and slow down an amphibious landing from the sea. Pic: Historic England
YORKSHIRE Bradford Grand Mosque Al-Jamia Suffa-Tul-Islam Grand Mosque or Bradford Grand Mosque under construction in 2007 is now one of the largest mosques in the UK and was opened in 2012.
Image: Al-Jamia Suffa-Tul-Islam Grand Mosque or Bradford Grand Mosque under construction in 2007 is now one of the largest mosques in the UK and was opened in 2012. Pic: Historic England
Brooklands Airfield, Surrey - The camouflaged buildings of Brooklands airfield soon after a German air raid in September 1940. Tragically, 90 workers were killed at the Vickers aircraft factory on site. RAF_HLA_061_PO_30 漏 Historic England Archive (RAF photography) 04/09/1940
Image: Brooklands Airfield, Surrey. Pic: Historic England
Tholthorpe Second World War airfield, in North Yorkshire. Early in the Second World War, Tholthorpe airfield was a sub-station of nearby RAF Linton-on-Ouse and had grass runways. An attempt to disguise the airfield from the air has been made by softening the edges of the runway although it appears on the photo as a striking dark diagonal mark
Image: Tholthorpe Second World War airfield, in North Yorkshire. Pic: Historic England