Exploring records created by the church medieval records for the genealogist & local historian 1066-1485

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

L ooking at proceedings from the Chancery Court, which are held by The National Archives at Kew (TNA; nationalarchives. gov.uk), is like shining a torch back into people’s lives in past centuries. No

From the mid-16th century, anyone running an inn or alehouse needed permission from the justices of the peace. Later, landlords were required to pledge not to allow disorderly conduct in their establi

Almost nine million parish records from Suffolk have been added to the family history website Ancestry (ancestry.co.uk). The site has released four sets of records from the Diocese of St Edmundsbury a

When you’re ready to dig into your Essex roots, there are many museums and local-history collections that may contain traces of your ancestors’ lives. The Museum of Chelmsford (chelmsford.gov.uk/museu

Matt Elton How do the kinds of records created now and in the recent past differ from those left in previous centuries? Jane Winters Records and sources now come in a whole range of formats. In some c