NEW details about the rich history of Britain’s biggest county have been made available to for all to see.

The clues to the past have been unearthed by local archaeology groups around North Yorkshire and have now been published on the internet.

More than 2,500 newly recorded archaeological sites - and new information on many previously known sites - have been posted by the county council in the online North Yorkshire Historic Environment Record.

They include previously unknown hut circles indicating Iron Age settlement at North Stainley, near Ripon.

The site was identified by the Ripon Community Archaeology Project as part of its long-running project to document the archaeology of parishes in the area.

There is also a large body of work on sites in and around Northallerton, carried out as part of the Northallerton Local History Project.

Additional information on the route of a Roman road from Thornton le Street through Northallerton and beyond will be added to the online records as work progresses.

Society secretary John Sheehan said: “The internet enables the dissemination of local knowledge, whilst at the same time encouraging contributions that would not otherwise be available locally.

“Undoubtedly this widens the pool of local historical knowledge and facilitates the exchange of information on a sometimes national basis.”

Councillor Chris Metcalfe said: “The Historic Environment Record is a fantastic resource which helps people delve into the story of North Yorkshire.

“A wealth of information is available at the click of a mouse, and we are extremely grateful to all the groups and individuals around the county who contribute their knowledge and findings.”

The site can be visited through heritagegateway.org.uk