Use the Search and Map links in the menu bar to search the database. You have a choice of running a Simple Search, Advanced Search or a Map Search.
Simple Search
This is a free text search that returns results from all parts of Buckinghamshire's Heritage Portal, not just the database. The results will be displayed in a summary list – click on an item to view the detailed record or Special Feature. You can choose to see all the sites from a search displayed on a map by clicking on Map at the top of the results list.
Advanced Search
This is a structured search that returns only records from the database. Choose the type of record you want information on by selecting one or more term from the pull-down lists of Parish, Period, Site type or Find type and then click Search. You can choose whether a period search is exclusive or overlaps with other periods. This means that if you choose an exclusive period search for Roman, your search will bring up records that are only Roman. If you choose an overlapping period search for Roman, your search will bring up records that are Iron Age and Roman, or Roman and Saxon. The Parish names used in the pull-down list are the Civil Parishes set at the 1974 local government reorganisation; if you can't find the historic or modern parish you are interested in on the list, try picking a nearby parish as it may cover your area.
In the Advanced Search you can build up quite complicated searches using combinations of terms. If you don’t get any results it might be worth trying again using fewer terms. The results will be displayed in a summary list - click on an item to view the detailed database record, a map and any linked photographs. You can also choose to display all the sites from a search displayed on a map by clicking on Map at the top of the results list.
Map Search
In the map you can move around the mapping and zoom in and out using the simple navigation tools in the top right. The 'locate me' tool will centre the map on where you are (you can choose to use this tool on a single occasion or more frequently). There are different base layers (background maps and aerial photos) that you can turn on or off using the tools in the top left. Some of the base layers will load at different scales, so if you can't see your chosen background in the display, it's worth zooming in or out to find it. Please be aware that there are some gaps in our coverage of the historic first edition OS maps and the historic ridge and furrow maps. You can also choose to load different map layers on top of the base map. If you click on these using the info tool, a summary pops up in the box. The search tool gives you the option of searching for a location by placename, postcode or grid reference.