HUNDREDS of historic records that reveal the secrets hidden under York streets are now available at the touch of the button.

The City of York Council’s Heritage Team has made more than a thousand reports about York’s history and archaeology available via an interactive map on the city council’s website, meaning anyone curious about the what lies beneath their feet in York can browse the a wealth of fascinating information for free.

Cllr Nigel Ayre, the council’s executive member for culture, said: “York has a rich and abundant archive of reports on archaeological events which have taken place across the city so we’re delighted to be able to offer this small but significant step towards helping more people gain access to our records.

“The information contained in the Historic Environment Record (HER) can help people’s understanding and enjoyment of the local historic environment. Hopefully this is the first step towards opening up the HER to a much wider audience.”

The HER holds information on the city’s archaeological finds, historic buildings and monuments from sources as varied as archaeological reports, historic maps and trade directories.

By zooming into the maps and clicking on the stars, people can access records of hundreds of years of archaeology and history - with details of everything from the discovery of decapitated Roman bodies off Driffield Terrace to large excavations at Hungate and Heslington East.

Originally developed as a planning control tool, HER’s identify where historic remains are likely to be affected by development, but they are now used for all sorts of planning, conservation and heritage work. The maps and records are available online at www.york.gov.uk/HER