General sites
providing information on how to conduct research or where to locate
relevant sources:
The
National Archives guide to resources for house history
Sources in the Essex Record Office for tracing property
history
Norfolk
Record Office for tracing property history
BBC TV series 'House
Detectives'
A global resource
providing links to other sites regarding property
histories
Leaflets produced by the National Archive explaining sources
such as: Hearth Tax Assessments, Manorial Court Records, National
Farm Survey of England and Wales 1940-1943, Ordnance Survey
records
Specific information
Architects
Royal Institute of
British Architects An online library catalogue with an
index to over 300 architectural periodicals, books, photographs and
manuscripts held in the RIBA Library along with a biographical
database of architects
Census Returns
1901 Census Census
returns for England and Wales. Search by address or by name of
person living in the property. For full details regarding the
occupants of your property (including a digital image of the
original census) there is a charge (pay by census vouchers
available from the Record Office or by credit card)
1881 Census The Church
of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints website. Full access is
free. Search by country, county and town/village but not searchable
by exact address. Starting with the first match for the village go
into the household and work through the village one household at a
time
1871-1901 Census Search
all 4 census returns for England and Wales by name rather than
place/address for a fee. Contains digital images of the original
census returns
1861 Census An
incomplete coverage for the country [March 2005 – London,
Middlesex, Kent, Surrey and Essex] but is being added to on a
regular basis with the intention to cover the whole country with
time
Directories
Historical
directories Includes numerous county directories for the
UK and is a searchable database by either location or year. Specify
a surname, street name etc and find all the given matches
Land Registry An online
service offering information on about two thirds of property titles
in England and Wales. For a set fee per item you can download
copies of the register entry and the title plan. The information on
the register includes a note of the location and extent of the
property, the owner's name and address, the price if sold since 1
April 2000 and details of any mortgages or rights of way. The title
plan, prepared by the Ordnance Survey, shows the land owned
Listed
Buildings
The National Monuments Records Centre Holds descriptions of
listed buildings in England, along with photographs of buildings
1860s-present; aerial photographs 1930s-present, and survey reports
on specific buildings
Images of England
Maintained by the National Monuments Records Centre and contains
photographs of England's 370,000 Listed Buildings.
Manorial
Records
The Manorial Documents Register Maintained by the Historical
Manuscripts Commission, contains information on the whereabouts of
many manor court rolls and books
Maps
www.old-maps.co.uk contains
an extensive UK map archive. Search via the Gazetteer option
for access to both historical First Edition Ordnance Survey
sheets from the 1880’s and modern maps along with aerial
photographs for the section highlighted on your map
Ordnance
Survey provides an historical mapping service; it is
possible to purchase copies of maps from 1800-1995.
Back to
Tracing the history of your
property