Medieval masterclass

“One might as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb,” goes the old proverb. The meaning is simple: if you are going to be punished for a small crime, you may as well commit the bigger one. In the early

This is one in a series of articles; the intention is to provide an overview of useful family and local history records in existence, covering the period 1066-1485. Each article can be enjoyed as a st

There’s never been so many well-stocked sources of historic photographs online. We’ve tried to pull together some examples of regional image libraries, as well as useful nationwide resources. While ma

Bringing peace was probably the most important thing the Tudors did for us. The British countryside is littered with the sites of medieval battles – places where opposing forces stomped over crops, bu

A collection of educational records that are of great use to family historians is exclusively available on Findmypast (findmypast. co.uk). ‘National School Admission Registers & Log-Books 1870–1914’ (

Mary Wade stood trial at the Old Bailey in 1789 for stealing a few items of clothing. She was only 10 years old, but London’s central criminal court condemned her to hang. Her sentence was commuted to