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The most beautiful pictures of cultural and historic sites from around the world have been revealed in the second Historic Photographer of the Year awards.
A striking shot of the medieval island commune of Mont Saint-Michel, with an undulating channel of water in the foreground, was crowned overall winner.
Daniel Burton was the photographer responsible for the snap, taken during the spring tide in early March 2018, which shows the curious land formations known locally as Les Méandres. These channels fill up in the late afternoon and reflect the setting sun to create a mirror pool effect.
Show all 57 1 /57Historic Photographer of the Year Historic Photographer of the Year Mont Saint-Michel Les Méandres: The medieval island commune of Le Mont Saint-Michel sits off the northwestern coast near the border between Brittany and Normandy in France. It is one of the most recognisable and visited historical landmarks in the region. The surrounding bay provides more peace, however. This photograph, taken during the spring tide in early March 2018, shows the curious land formations known locally as Les Méandres. The channels fill up in late afternoon and reflect the setting sun to create a mirror pool effect. (Overall winner)
Historic Photographer of the Year/Daniel Burton
Historic Photographer of the Year Callanish Stone Circle A fan of the atmosphere of prehistoric sites, David Ross made a special trip to the Isle of Lewis in Scotland to photograph the stone circle at Callanish. He said: "I was able to catch this photo just before the sun sank below the horizon. It was a magical moment and one that I will always treasure." (Ancient history winner)
Historic Photographer of the Year/David Ross
Historic Photographer of the Year Red Sands Sea Forts Red Sands Sea Forts: Part of the WW2 fortification of Great Britain. These forts were built to aid the protection of London from air attacks in WW2. (English history winner)
Historic Photographer of the Year/Mark Edwards
Historic Photographer of the Year West Pier Ruins This iconic pier sadly tells of past glories but remains the main focal point of Brighton Beach.
Historic Photographer of the Year/Ben Nazarko
Historic Photographer of the Year Safdarjung Tomb Safdarjung's Tomb is a sandstone and marble mausoleum in New Delhi, India. It was built in 1754 in the late Mughal Empire style for the statesman Safdarjung. The monument has an imposing presence with its domed and arched red brown and white structures.
Historic Photographer of the Year/Virendra Singh
Historic Photographer of the Year Vicars’ Close Vicars’ Close in Wells was built over 650 years ago to house the Vicars Choral and it has since been continuously inhabited by their successors. Vicars’ Close is the most complete example of a medieval Close in the UK and is said to be the oldest purely residential street in Europe.
Historic Photographer of the Year/Rose Atkinson
Historic Photographer of the Year Pompeii Dense smoke clouds produced by a forest fire on Mount Vesuvius hang over the ruins of Pompeii, Italy.
Historic Photographer of the Year/Juan Pablo Lasterra
Historic Photographer of the Year Dunstanburgh Castle Taken from Embleton Bay beach, Dunstanburgh Castle makes a fantastic backdrop to this sunrise shot. The original owner of this 14th century castle, Earl Thomas of Lancaster, never got to live in it as he was executed after being captured at the Battle of Boroughbridge. The castle changed hands a few times before falling into decay in the 16th century.
Historic Photographer of the Year/John Carson
Historic Photographer of the Year Pripyat, Chernobyl Thirty years after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, this photo was taken in January 2016, in the ghost town of Pripyat, formerly home to almost 50,000 Chernobyl workers and their families.
Historic Photographer of the Year/Dave Searl
Historic Photographer of the Year Santa Catalina Arch The Santa Catalina Arch in Guatemala’s city of Antigua is an icon of a lost colonial masterpiece. The city was founded by conquistadors in 1543 and later become one of the most celebrated in the Spanish Indies. It lies in the shadow of Volcan Agua, but a series of brutal earthquakes decimated the settlement, causing its abandonment in 1773. Antigua Guatemala lay in ruins until it was declared a national monument in 1944. It is now the darling of the tourist trail, and the arch is its centrepiece.
Historic Photographer of the Year/Daniel Burton
Historic Photographer of the Year House of Commons Chamber A unique view of the House of Commons Chamber, Westminster Palace from the Press Gallery above the Speaker’s Chair. Taken as a record of the Chamber as it stands today and used as a comparative to the identical positioned photograph by Sir (John) Benjamin Stone who photographed the Palace from 1889.
Historic Photographer of the Year/Tim Banting
Historic Photographer of the Year Victoria Memorial Hall The Victoria Memorial is a large marble building in Kolkata, West Bengal, India, which was built between 1906 and 1921. It is dedicated to the memory of Queen Victoria (1819-1901) and is now a museum and tourist destination. The memorial lies on the ‘Maidan’ by the bank of the Hooghly River. In January 1901, on the death of Queen Victoria, Lord Curzon the then Viceroy of India, suggested the creation of this memorial. He proposed the construction of a grand building with a museum and gardens. The Prince of Wales, later King George V, laid the foundation stone on 4 January 1906, and it was formally opened to the public in 1921.
Historic Photographer of the Year/Rajesh Dhar
Historic Photographer of the Year Engine Room, SS Great Britain Brunel's SS Great Britain was revolutionary when launched in 1843. Originally the first luxury passenger liner, she was adapted in the middle of the 19th century to carry emigrants to Australia, supplying the colony with a much-needed population eager to escape poverty in Britain. After a spell as a cargo ship she was abandoned in the Falkland Islands after being damaged at Cape Horn. Recognised for her importance in history she was brought back to her birth port of Bristol and restored.
Historic Photographer of the Year/Thomas Bedson
Historic Photographer of the Year Buddha of Borobudur Located in central Java, Indonesia, this is the largest Buddhist monument in the world. The Borobudur Temple was built in the 8th and 9th centuries by Java's Shailendra Dynasty, when it became a major Buddhist pilgrimage site. The temple demonstrates the influences of Gupta art that reflects India's influence on the region, yet there are enough indigenous scenes and elements incorporated to make Borobudur uniquely Indonesian.
Historic Photographer of the Year/Sirsendu Gayen
Historic Photographer of the Year Old Library, Jesus College Chained books at the Old Library, Jesus College, Cambridge.
Historic Photographer of the Year/Sara Rawlinson
Historic Photographer of the Year Castle of Sammezzano The Castle of Sammezzano is a rare example of eclectic and Moorish architecture in Europe. Over the second half of the 19th century, this formerly medieval castle was transformed into a fine example of the Orientalist fashion by Marchese Ferdinando Panciatichi Ximenes d’Aragona. Following the Second World War, the castle became a luxury hotel but has now been unoccupied for over 25 years.
Historic Photographer of the Year/Roman Robroek
Historic Photographer of the Year Day Mark, Kingswear "This photo was taken on an early morning walk down brownstone battery," says photographer Samanther-Mae Wallis. "I came across the Day Mark and found it a very interesting part of history."
Historic Photographer of the Year/Samanther-Mae Wallis
Historic Photographer of the Year Library, King's College Yesterday's reading material remains stacked on the 20th century desk, looking out from the current library (built 1828) towards the Gibbs' Building (1724), and the back of King's College Chapel (1515). King's College, University of Cambridge.
Historic Photographer of the Year/Sara Rawlinson
Historic Photographer of the Year Ring of Brodgar The Ring of Brodgar Stone Circle and Henge, which is part of the The Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site, is a spectacular stone circle. The ring is surrounded by a large circular ditch or henge. The circular layout of the ring is an unusual attribute that singles it out as one of the largest and finest stone circles in the British Isles.
Historic Photographer of the Year/Santiago Arribas Pena
Historic Photographer of the Year Jaisalmer Fort The Jaisalmer Fort is situated in the city of Jaisalmer, in Rajasthan, India. It is believed to be one of the very few ‘living forts’ in the world, as nearly one fourth of the old city's population still resides within the fort. Jaisalmer Fort is the second oldest fort in Rajasthan, built in 1156 AD by the Rajput ruler Jaisal.
Historic Photographer of the Year/Rajesh Dhar
Historic Photographer of the Year Tintern Abbey Tintern Abbey, a Cistercian Abbey on the banks of the river Wye built in 1131. All that remains today is the shell of the abbey which was victim to Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries. But its skeletal form has lost none of its grandeur.
Historic Photographer of the Year/Mike Kitchingman
Historic Photographer of the Year WW2 Bunker, Isle of Sheppy WW2 bunker which now sits in the sea after coastal erosion. This shot was a very long exposure (549 seconds) made possible by the use of a 16 Stop ND filter.
Historic Photographer of the Year/Mark Edwards
Historic Photographer of the Year Ancient Holloway, Northamptonshire "Perks of the job - walking around the countryside assessing ancient and historic landscapes allows me to stumble across walkways such as this," says the author of this picture, Katherine Harrison.
Historic Photographer of the Year/Katherine Harrison
Historic Photographer of the Year Hampi, Karnataka Hampi is an Unesco Heritage Site and an architectural wonder of the world.
Historic Photographer of the Year/Jwalakotesh
Historic Photographer of the Year Qutb Minar Qutb Minar (also called Qutub Minar or Qutab Minar) is a famous Indian historical monument and the second tallest minar in India. Qutb Minar is 73m tall and built in the Indo-Islamic architectural style. It has been added to the Unesco World Heritage Site list.
Historic Photographer of the Year/Jayesh Vijuda
Historic Photographer of the Year Bodiam Castle Built in 1385 the castle was once a symbol of Britain’s defence and power. However, after the civil war, the castle was left a shell with only the outer walls remaining. To create the image, Jasmine Pope set up her camera to take several photos over the course of three hours and stacked the images when processing to create star trails.
Historic Photographer of the Year/Jasmine Pope
Historic Photographer of the Year Lindisfarne Priory Between the arches and pillars of the ruins at Lindisfarne Priory, two cross-shapes can be seen, which bring together in one shot the devotional and the martial, and hint at the site's turbulent past. The lower cross belongs to the neighbouring parish church of St Mary the Virgin, parts of which predate the priory. The upper cross is a later arrowslit, added when the priory was fortified during the 14th-century Anglo-Scottish wars.
Historic Photographer of the Year/James Aitcheson
Historic Photographer of the Year Great Zimbabwe Great Zimbabwe was the centre of an important African civilisation and was inhabited from the 12th to the 16th centuries. The Great Enclosure dates to around 1450 - when the Shona civilisation was at its peak. It is the largest single ancient building in sub-Saharan Africa - a dry-stone wall 250m in circumference and up to 11m in height.
Historic Photographer of the Year/Iain Pearson
Historic Photographer of the Year Wheal Coates Tin Mine This photograph features the iconic ruins of the Wheal Coates Tin Mine in Cornwall, UK, set against a star filled-backdrop. Remains of Cornwall's tin mining past can be seen strewn around the County in the form of ruins such as the one photographed here. This particular mine shut down for good in 1913, and has since been slowly crumbling where it remains overlooking the North Atlantic Sea on St Agnes Headland.
Historic Photographer of the Year/Henry Giltjes-Vincent
Historic Photographer of the Year SS Nornen The remains of the SS Nornen, a Norwegian barque which was shipwrecked 3rd March, 1897 (Berrow).
Historic Photographer of the Year/Mark Edwards
Historic Photographer of the Year Dunluce Castle The iconic Dunluce Castle is situated on the north Antrim coast of N.Ireland. The first castle was built here in the 13th century by Richard Og De Burgh 2nd Earl of Ulster. The castle ruins are visited by thousands of tourists every year.
Historic Photographer of the Year/Glenn Miles
Historic Photographer of the Year Broadway Tower The view from Broadway Tower in Chipping Campden on a clear day is beautiful - rolling hills, lush English countryside and you can see across 16 counties.
Historic Photographer of the Year/Ellie
Historic Photographer of the Year Auschwitz Birkenau Part of a series of photographs from Auschwitz and Auschwitz Birkenau, this photo was taken at the end of the railway line. Taken on a Minolta 35mm Film Camera, the image reflects the eerie and sombre mood of the moment while also showing the need for peace and unity moving on from such a tragic event in history.
Historic Photographer of the Year/Eleanor Killner
Historic Photographer of the Year King's College Chapel This angel atop the organ screen in King's College Chapel (King's College, Cambridge) has been watching over visitors for over 480 years. This photo was taken from up high in a cherry picker.
Historic Photographer of the Year/Sara Rawlinson
Historic Photographer of the Year Rivaulx Abbey Staircase Rivaulx Abbey Staircase: The remains of a spiral staircase once used by the Cistercian Monks, now, a nesting place for birds. The abbey is near Helmsley in Yorkshire and was built in 1132. Mostly destroyed during Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries in 1538, enough remains to tell of an age when the church was all powerful.
Historic Photographer of the Year/Mike Kitchingman
Historic Photographer of the Year Tyne Pedestrian Tunnel Taken in the Tyne Pedestrian and Cyclist Tunnel in Newcastle (currently closed for alterations). This shows a wooden escalator, which is reputably the longest wooden escalator in the world.
Historic Photographer of the Year/George Ledger
Historic Photographer of the Year Headstone Manor Inside the attic room of Headstone Manor. Headstone Manor is a 14th Century Grade 1 listed moated manor house in suburban London. It was the former London residence of the Archbishops of Canterbury and was a former possession of Henry VIII.
Historic Photographer of the Year/Duncan Shields
Historic Photographer of the Year St Michael's Mount "I arrived before sunset, only to find the causeway filled with tourists, each jostling to catch the perfect photo," says photographer David Ross. "It was almost 10pm before the causeway was empty, so I hustled to the end and set up my tripod. It was by now almost totally dark, with the castle illuminations providing the only light, so I had to use a 20 second exposure just to capture the scene. But, oh, wow! I was so glad I waited!"
Historic Photographer of the Year/David Ross
Historic Photographer of the Year Bradford Odeon The Bradford Odeon was opened in the 1930s and called the New Victoria and was a cinema and theatre which had a restaurant and ballroom attached. It was closed late 1960s and taken over by the Odeon group where it became a multiplex. It closed in 2000 and is now awaiting redevelopment.
Historic Photographer of the Year/David Oxtaby
Historic Photographer of the Year Grand Shaft The Grand Shaft was built into the white cliffs of Dover to assist the movement of troops between the barracks at the top of the cliff, and the town and harbour below. Completed in roughly 1807, the shaft entailed building two brick-lined shafts, one inside the other. In the outer, there is a triple staircase, the inner acting as a light well with windows cut in its outer wall to illuminate the staircases.
Historic Photographer of the Year/Chris London
Historic Photographer of the Year Witley Court "A photo taken on one of those winter days where the sky is blue but the cold bites you to the the bone," says Andrew Moore. "I love the reflection in the puddles, they bring out the bleak nature of the ruins."
Historic Photographer of the Year/Andrew Moore
Historic Photographer of the Year Donnington Castle "I was struck by the beauty of the ruins of Donnington Castle, enhanced even further by the autumn colour and surrounding countryside. The ground level view was great, but I couldn't see the surrounding countryside. The only way to include the countryside was to get into the air."
Historic Photographer of the Year/Jonathan Reid
Historic Photographer of the Year Taj Mahal An immense mausoleum of white marble, built in Agra between 1631 and 1648 by order of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favourite wife, the Taj Mahal is the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage.
Historic Photographer of the Year/Dinesh Parmar
Historic Photographer of the Year Kirby Muxloe Castle Kirby Muxloe Castle, also known historically as Kirby Castle, is a ruined, fortified manor house in Kirby Muxloe, Leicestershire, England. William, Lord Hastings, began work on the castle in 1480, founding it on the site of a pre-existing manor house.
Historic Photographer of the Year/David Ross
Historic Photographer of the Year Enisala With a flourishing city that was part of the Northern Loop of the Silk Road, Enisala in Romania was a vibrant place on the commercial route, with a strategic fortress to guard it closely.
Historic Photographer of the Year/Diana Buzoianu
Historic Photographer of the Year Newark Castle "I got in from a long day sightseeing and was just settling down to relax when the sun came out. I couldn't resist so I grabbed my camera and drove to Newark, hoping to catch the castle reflected in the River Trent. Oh, what a wonderful sight!"
Historic Photographer of the Year/David Ross
Historic Photographer of the Year St Mary's Lastingham St Mary's Lastingham is built on a 7th century Crypt by St Cedd with the main building above built as a monastery in the 11th century which became the church of St Marys.
Historic Photographer of the Year/David Oxtaby
Historic Photographer of the Year Alexandra Road Estate, London This twilight shot was taken at the Alexandra Road Estate, also known as the Rowley Way Estate. A fine example of Seventies brutalist architecture that is also grade II listed.
Historic Photographer of the Year/Chris London
Historic Photographer of the Year Bradgate House The ruins of Bradgate House caught in the light of the setting sun in autumn.
Historic Photographer of the Year/Chris Hanley
Historic Photographer of the Year Whaler's Hut Whaling for blubber and oil was widespread in Svalbard from the 17th century, mainly by the British and Dutch. Due to the low temperatures some original huts from the period have survived completely intact and are now protected monuments. The sites are extremely fragile and must not be too closely approached, here featuring whale vertebrae and rib bones.
Historic Photographer of the Year/Chris Dobbs
Historic Photographer of the Year Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba The amazing Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba in Spain
Historic Photographer of the Year/Bjørn Andre Hagen
Historic Photographer of the Year Hadrian's Wall "I had walked this section of Hadrian's Wall with my wife and been struck by this view of milecastle 39, near Steel Rig. I was determined to return and photograph it in evening light. However, when I arrived the forecast sunshine was nowhere to be seen. So I set up my tripod and waited. And waited. And waited. "I was so pleased with the photo, but even better, learning to wait patiently has added so much to my enjoyment of photography and now its not unusual for me to sit and wait happily for hours."
Historic Photographer of the Year/David Ross
Historic Photographer of the Year Beverley Minster "It's taken almost 10 years to get this shot - the right time and the right conditions. Sunrise at Beverley Minster, Yorkshire from Westwood Common."
Historic Photographer of the Year/Andy
Historic Photographer of the Year Taj Mahal The Taj Mahal is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the south bank of the Yamuna river in the Indian city of Agra. This image is taken from the back of the monument.
Historic Photographer of the Year/Amitava Chandra
Historic Photographer of the Year Whitby Abbey "This photograph was taken in the ruins of the eighth century abbey of St. Hilda's in Whitby, Yorkshire, when I was there on holiday a few years ago. In order to get the exposure I wanted, I took two shots - one exposed for the masonry, the other for the sky - and merged them in Photoshop."
Historic Photographer of the Year/Alan Baxter
Historic Photographer of the Year Palmyra Syria Palmyra temple of Bel before its destruction in the conflict.
Historic Photographer of the Year/David Lyon
Historic Photographer of the Year The Pantheon, Rome This image is a detail of the dome from inside the Pantheon. It remains the largest self-supporting dome in the world, centuries after it was constructed. The symmetry and sheer simplicity are worthy of being photographed again and again.
Thomas Southgate
The ruins of the Callanish Stone Circle , captured by David Ross with the sunset perfectly framed between two of the stones, won the Ancient History category, while Mark Edwards’ eerie image of the Red Sands Sea Forts on the Thames Estuary, part of the WW2 fortification of Great Britain, nabbed first prize in the English History category.
Another 53 pictures were shortlisted based on their originality, composition and technical proficiency alongside the story behind the submission and its historical impact.
The judging panel included broadcaster and historian Dan Snow of History Hit TV, co-founder of Trip Historic Elli Lewis, head of HISTORY Dan Korn, chairman of the Association for Historical and Fine Art Photography Richard Everett, and Duncan Wilson, CEO of Historic England.
“There was an embarrassment of riches in this year’s entrants, so many of which were to such a high standard and so distinctive, it made it incredibly difficult to judge,” said Dan Korn.
“The dedication to shooting in the right light at the right time of the year, in original and individualistic styles, meant a wonderful array of compositions. Most gratifying of all was to see the sheer appetite for recording so many monuments to Britain’s rich history, in such a unique and timeless way.”
The awards are run by Trip Historic, an online travel guide to the world’s historic sites, and supported by History Hit TV, a multi-channel history network.
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