STUNNING aerial photos show how Kendal has changed in the last 100 years.

Historic England has launched its new Aerial Photography Explorer which for the first time allows users to search an online map showing aerial photographs of England over the past century.

The platform allows people immediate digital access to Historic England’s nationally important collection of aerial photographs.

More than 400,000 images from 1919 to the present day have been added to the tool, covering nearly 30 per cent of England, including areas of Kendal and the rest of south Cumbria.

As well as striking shots showing Kendal's beauty from above in the present day, the photos also reveal how the town looked more than 100 years ago.

Images taken in 1929 show how Kendal's town centre looked then, including St George's Church and Stamongate Bridge from above.

Spectacular views from today include panoramic shots looking over sections of the town.

Around 300,000 of the photographs are the work of Historic England’s Aerial Investigation and Mapping team.

Established in 1967, the team takes photographs of England from the air to discover new archaeological sites, create archaeological maps and monitor the condition of historic sites across the country.

The remaining 100,000 images come from the Historic England Archive aerial photography collection, which numbers over two million images in total, and includes important historic photography, including interwar and post-war images from Aerofilms Ltd and The Royal Air Force.

Duncan Wilson, Historic England’s chief executive, said: “I am delighted that our new online tool will allow people to access easily our wonderful collection of aerial images and enjoy the historic photography that our team uses every day to unlock the mysteries of England’s past.”

Nigel Huddleston, the heritage minister, said the tool offered 'a bird’s eye view of our past' and encouraged 'everyone to explore the thousands of English sites from the last century'.