The efforts of archaeologists in exploring these over the last 200 years has yielded a great deal of material held in local museums. These are listed with an indication of the main strengths of their collections. Most general purpose museums will include much material from the last 100 years, and this can be used in the same way as earlier material. These provide many opportunities for the study of architectural styles, changes over time and the role of buildings in past and present societies. There are too many to list below but the major historic cathedrals and abbeys are noted in each section.
Many sites are in the care of the state.
The National Trust and National Trust of Scotland also care for historic sites. All such sites are listed under the organisation which cares for them with a short description of what the site is. The organisations concerned can be contacted for further information. Some historic properties are in private ownership and those belonging to the Historic House Association are also listed. Archaeologists seldom look at sites on their own rather than as part of the historic landscape.