Historic buildings can tell us about the expansion of settlements and the economic and social history of an area. Buildings that could be included on the Local List include;

• Buildings that provide evidence of the agricultural past, such as farm complexes, weavers’ cottages and vernacular cottages.
• Grander houses (also called elite residences) that were usually occupied by wealthy families. These will sometimes also have stables and further buildings set within the grounds.
• Workers’ housing, commonly in the form of rows of terraces or modest cottages, can provide evidence of the economic and social history of an area. Interesting examples in some areas may retain an attic workshop space, often represented by rows of windows to the upper floor.
• Villas and larger suburban homes, historically occupied by the upper/middle classes and possibly wealthy industrialists or clergymen, can provide evidence of the social history of an area.
• 20th-century houses, both planned estates and examples of innovative architectural design can provide evidence of the expansion of an area.
• Commercial structures that provide evidence of commerce, economic growth and ways of life such as banks, offices, shops, markets and auction houses, public houses, inns and hotels and tea houses.
• Cultural or entertainment buildings such as museums and art galleries, theatres, cinemas, assembly rooms, music halls, concert halls, music venues, villages halls, recreation and sports facilities and institutes.
• Institutions including schools, places of worship, hospitals and alms-houses, workhouses, libraries, civic buildings and community facilities provide evidence of ways of life and social change.  
• Structures relating to modes of transport such as lock-keepers’ cottages, railway stations, rolling-stock housing, maintenance sheds, station masters’ houses, offices and associated hotels.
• Often large and imposing industrial buildings that can tell us about the economic development and expansion of an area. These may include large mill complexes and associated buildings, warehouses, factories, or engineering works.

When assessing the asset that you want to nominate, think about the age and style of the building, the materials used in its construction and any distinguishing features that it may have. Further guidance on how to assess historic buildings is available through the Historic England Introduction to Heritage Assets page and the Looking at Buildings website created by the Pevsner Architectural Guides.