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Architectural History Collections

Find out more about Architectural History Collections in the IHR Wohl Library. This page shows examples from the range of sources and guides which support study in this area.

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From Dugdale, The history of Saint Paul's Cathedral, in London

Introduction

Buildings are a historical topic in their own right and an important source for historians, and the library’s collections support a range of study in this area. These include an eclectic range of works on specific buildings types (breweries, peasant houses, monasteries and workhouses to name a few) and works on understanding buildings, as well as their preservation, interpretation and display.

The collections also include a vast range of primary sources relevant to the subject. Landowners, tenants, architects, policy-makers and commentators are represented in editions of letters, diaries and papers alongside works of biography and prosopography. Travel writing and antiquarian histories include contemporary descriptions and impressions of the built environment. Household and trade records give insights into the building trade, and records of government highlight social concerns and resulting legislation. There is much accompanying visual material in the form of illustrations and plans.

Material is dispersed around the geographically-arranged collections, although the classmark BC.264 contains general British material. Subject headings such as architecture, buildings, vernacular can be browsed in the catalogue. The areas below suggest other places a researcher could look. 

Highlights from the Collections: Primary Sources

Letters, Diaries and Memoirs

The library's holdings of edited letters and diaries contain commentary on architecture from landowners, occupants, architects and policy makers. Examples include:

Travel Writing and Guide Books

These range from explorers' accounts to tourists' travel accounts and cover all parts of the world. Many are scattered across the collections by geographical subject of place or writer, but there is a concentrated section at CG.17 including the Hakluyt Society series. See also the travel writing collection guide. Many include plans and illustrations of buildings.

Examples include:

Household, Estate and Building Records

Examples include:

Business and Trade Records

Business records:

Trade and organisation records

Records of Central and Local Government

A variety of sources are held for different countries. These include Parlimentary Debates and Proceedings, Petitions and Reports and Acts of Parliament. See also the separate Guide to UK Parliamentary History in the library. Examples covering the subject include:

  • Legislation on housing standards
  • New towns
  • Commissions for building new churches
  • Window, hearth and brick taxes
  • Licences to crenellate

Antiquarian Histories

The library holds a range of county and local histories which can provide invaluable descriptions and illustrations of buildings standing at the time they were written. Examples include:

Visual Material: Maps, Plans, Drawings, Photographs

As well as many works illustrated by plans and drawings, compilations are also held. Examples are listed below. See also the Guide to map collections.

Newspapers, Magazines, Annual Reviews

Online newspaper collections (onsite only) - both fully searchable:

Nineteenth century periodicals:

  • Gentleman's Magazine
  • Edinburgh Review
  • Quarterly Review
  • Notes and Queries
  • Nineteenth century

The Builder and illustrations index, 1843-1883

Highlights from the Collections: Reference and Secondary Works

Biographical Sources

The strong biographical collections include both biographical lists and more detailed biographies. They will help to identify landowners, social commentators, policy-makers and architects. The collection includes many general biographical reference works and some specifically on architects. Examples include:

General works

  • Dictionaries of National Biography
  • Burke's Peerage
  • Trade and university listings

Listings of architects

Inventories, Gazetteers and Surveys

The collections include:

General works

Specialist works

Secondary Works

The library collections include a range of secondary works. There are many items exploring individual buildings, local and regional traditions and guides to particular building types. Examples include:

Geographic area

Building type

Methodology and Historiography

A range of material is included here such as bibliographies, guides to doing architectural history, glossaries of terminology, historiography, preservation and interpretation of buildings. Examples include:

Periodicals and Theses

Periodicals

Current copies of most of our periodicals are on open access in the periodicals room on the ground floor. Back issues can be ordered from the store. Many are also available online within the building via the links on the catalogue entry. There are many relevant articles in periodicals such as Vernacular Architecture, Urban History, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland and The Local Historian. Bibliography of British and Irish History and JSTOR are examples of the online databases that can be used to locate journal articles. 

Theses

See further information on our theses. Examples covering the subject include:

Other Collections

Further Help

Contact us if you would like help on finding or using our collections, or if you have any comments or suggestions about the content of this guide. We are happy to help.

You can also book a tour or training session.

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