Countryside Survey is a unique study or 'audit' of the natural resources of the UK's countryside. The Survey has been carried out at regular intervals since 1978. The countryside is sampled and surveyed using rigorous scientific methods, allowing us to compare new results with those from previous surveys. In this way we can detect the gradual and subtle changes that occur in the UK's countryside over time. This dataset consists of stock data for habitats across Great Britain in 1978. The data are national estimates generated by analysing the sample data from 256 1km squares and scaling up to a national level. The data are summarized as habitat area per Land Class. The sample sites are chosen from a stratified random sample, based on a 15 by 15 km grid of GB. Surveys have been carried out in 1978, 1984, 1990, 1998 and 2007 with repeated visits to the majority of squares. In addition to habitat areas, species plot, soil plot, linear habitat, freshwater habitat and satellite map data are also produced by Countryside Survey. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/c8feabac-7c3f-4c35-91f7-296782b957d1