Introduction
This collection is one of the Institute’s largest and includes published primary sources, bibliographies, and guides and catalogues to manuscripts and archives. Secondary works include core reference monographs and many periodicals. There is much of value for national history as well as every locality.
The collection is divided between general or regional materials and a section for each English county, as well as the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. Wales, Scotland and Ireland each has its own collection arranged in a similar way. Chronologically, the remit runs from the early Anglo-Saxons to the present day. We hold material from every sphere of England’s rural and urban past including architectural and archaeological resources.
Strengths include an extensive collection of eighteenth and nineteenth century poll books, a large collection of nineteenth and early twentieth century directories, many early county histories and a complete set of the Victoria County History.
Arrangement of the Collections
Bibliographies, Archive Guides, Historiography and Methodology
Classmark BC.0
A range of bibliographies and guides both generally and by county.
General Works
Classmark BC.2
Including:
- Victoria County History
- Poll Books
- Trade and Street Directories
- Works on English toponymy including publications of the English Place-Name Society.
General Local History & Archaeology Periodicals
Classmark BC.3
Including:
Regional Works
Classmark BC.4
Works covering regions of the UK, including publications from record societies such as:
English Counties and Other Places
BC.51 Bedfordshire
BC.52 Berkshire
BC.53 Buckinghamshire
BC.54 Cambridgeshire
BC.55 Cheshire
BC.56 Cornwall
BC.57 Cumbria
BC.58 Derbyshire
BC.59 Devon
BC.60 Dorset
BC.61 Durham (County)
BC.62 Essex
BC.63 Gloucestershire
BC.64 Hampshire & the Isle of Wight
BC.65 Herefordshire
BC.66 Hertfordshire
BC.67 Kent
BC.68 Lancashire
BC.69 Leicestershire
BC.70 Lincolnshire
BC.72 Norfolk
BC.73 Northamptonshire
BC.74 Northumbria
BC.75 Nottinghamshire
BC.76 Oxfordshire
BC.77 Rutland
BC.78 Shropshire
BC.79 Somerset
BC.80 Staffordshire
BC.81 Suffolk
BC.82 Surrey
BC.83 Sussex
BC.84 Warwickshire
BC.85 Wiltshire
BC.86 Worcestershire
BC.87 Yorkshire
BC.91 Channel Islands
BC.95 Isle of Man
Online Resources
Other Collections
Other IHR collections
In the IHR
Other organisations and resources
- Local history libraries/archives. Collections can be tracked down using the ARCHON Directory of record repositories in the United Kingdom, the National Register of Archives and Access to Archives databases via the National Archives website.
- The British Association for Local History
- The Centre for English Local History
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.
