Charges from January 2026

Searchroom Copying

Archives A4 black and white photocopying £1
Archives A3 black and white photocopying £1
Archives A4 colour photocopying £2
Archives A3 colour photocopying £3
Self service A4 or A3 black and white photocopying/printing  50p
Self service A4 or A3 colour printing  £1.50
Microfiche/microfilm A4 and A3 black and white printing £1

Camera Licences (including printer/scanners)

Daily Licence £10
Weekly Licence £22
Annual Licence £130

Research Service

Private Research (per hour) £44 (per hour in 15 minute increments, minimum fee £22) 
Commercial Research (per hour) £90 (per hour, or part thereof)
Certification of a copy £22 (plus research time if applicable)

Certification of parish register entries

Baptism certificate £20 (set fee by the Church of England)

Archive Conservation

Treatment Proposal  £44 
Private Archive Conservation (per hour) £74
Conservation Handling Demonstrations Session (Half Day) £100
Preservation Training Session (Half Day) £120
Preservation Training Session (Whole Day) £200
Conservation Studio Hire Price on Application

Collections

Appraisal and disposal fee £10 (minimum charge)
Digitisation (External Collections) £20 per document + £3 per consecutive page
Visits to Assess Archive Collection Not for Deposit (per hour) £44 (plus travel costs)

Outreach and Learning

Talks to Local County Groups On or Off Site  £60
Out of County Talks £60 (plus travel costs) 
Online Talks Price on Application
Tours of Somerset Heritage Centre (maximum 15 people per group) £50
Self-guided Group Research Visit £80 half day,  £140 full day
Group Learning Session (up to half day, maximum 15 people per group) £125
Group Learning Session (eg. palaeography, full day, maximum 15 people per group) £175
Schools – Tailor-made Archive Packs (Charged by the time taken to prepare them) £40 per hour preparation time (£38 for 2024/25 academic year)
Schools – Workshop in School £160
Reminiscence Session £60

Permission to Publish

  Fee for 1-5 items Fee for 6 or more items Notes
Administration fee £12 See note 1
Not for profit local publication £12 £8 See note 2
Commercial publication £60 £38 See note 3
Website: not for profit £12 £8 See note 4
Website: commercial £60 £38 See note 5
Exhibitions: local and temporary £12 £8 See note 6
Exhibitions: commercial or permanent £60 £38  
TV: local or regional £50 £40 See note 7
TV: UK national programme £100 £90 See note 7
TV: worldwide and streaming £185 £160 See note 7
Filming Extensive filming POA, limited filming £125 per hour plus permissions cost per item filmed See note 8
Facilities hire for photography £60 (for up to two hours)  
  1. A minimum fee of £12 will be charged in all instances.  However, this will not be charged in addition to the specific fees per item.  For example, the charge for 1 item for a not for profit local publication will be £12 (not £20).
  2. Print run not to exceed 500.  Local means relating to a village or community.  Academic publications are counted as commercial publications even if they have a small print run.  Publication means either print or electronic.
  3. Includes academic journals.  Publication means either print or electronic.
  4. For example, local community organisations.  You will be asked to provide the site URL.
  5. Includes websites which charge a subscription fee for access to content.  You will be asked to provide the site URL.
  6. Local exhibitions which last less than one week will be free or charge.
  7. All TV permissions will include the right to show the programme on multiple occasions.
  8. Attendance fees are not applicable if the visit is as a result of a South West Heritage Trust press release.

Other Archives and Local Studies Charges

Attendance at Public Inquiries (per hour) £90
Administration fee for contacting depositors for requests to view closed records for historical research £12 minimum