English local history
Encyclopedia
Local history
is the study of the history
of a relatively small geographic area; typically a specific settlement, parish or county. English local history came to the fore with the antiquarian
s of the 19th century and was particularly emphasised by the creation of the Victoria County History
series in England
. Its establishment as a formal academic discipline is usually credited to W. G. Hoskins
who also popularised the subject with his book The Making of the English Landscape.
which can be used for local history although he wrote a national rather than local history. During the late medieval, travel writers such as John Leland frequently visited and described local antiquities, although once again, these writers did not set out to write local history. The Tudor period saw the publication of national gazetteers (for example Camden
) that frequently contained brief local histories. The eighteenth century saw the emergence of county historians such as Nichols
and Morant
who were arguably the first local historians. These writers took an interest in subjects that are currently unfashionable (such as manorial descents), but often contain important details which can be used by a modern local historian. The nineteenth century saw the widespread publication of parish histories – often written by the local minister. In 1899, the Victoria County History
project began to provide a sound academic basis for local history. The early twentieth century saw individuals in universities with job titles related to local history, but the first department of Local History was established at Leicester in 1947. Interest in local history expanded in the second half of the twentieth century both in numbers and scope. Contemporary researchers gather the conclusions from a wide range of academic disciplines.
, is accessible to people without prior historical training or experience. This is because the very nature of local history is such that starting points are always available locally. An intelligent lay researcher can learn the necessary skills as they research. Archivists
and societies can provide advice, encouragement, and information; formal courses of study are also widely available. Many local historians are non-specialists whose enthusiasm for history and have applied this to their area.
Most local history researchers follow a process in which they start from the basic facts offered by the available evidence, make a more detailed analysis of that evidence to explore its implications, and then put that analysis in its wider temporal and geographical context. Some take a more theoretical approach: starting from a hypothesis, which they seek to demonstrate or disprove through evidence.
(VCH) is the best starting point for a locality in England. There is often a local studies library which will contain a wealth of local material. Early county historians often provide parish by parish accounts, although they frequently include long descriptions of manorial descents which are of little interest to the current generation of historians. If there is a history of the parish church, this may well contain useful material.
Local history
Local history is the study of history in a geographically local context and it often concentrates on the local community. It incorporates cultural and social aspects of history...
is the study of the history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
of a relatively small geographic area; typically a specific settlement, parish or county. English local history came to the fore with the antiquarian
Antiquarian
An antiquarian or antiquary is an aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient objects of art or science, archaeological and historic sites, or historic archives and manuscripts...
s of the 19th century and was particularly emphasised by the creation of the Victoria County History
Victoria County History
The Victoria History of the Counties of England, commonly known as the Victoria County History or the VCH, is an English history project which began in 1899 and was dedicated to Queen Victoria with the aim of creating an encyclopaedic history of each of the historic counties of...
series in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Its establishment as a formal academic discipline is usually credited to W. G. Hoskins
W. G. Hoskins
William George Hoskins CBE FSA was a British local historian who founded the first university department of English Local History. His great contribution to the study of history was in the field of landscape history...
who also popularised the subject with his book The Making of the English Landscape.
History of English local history
There is incidental material in the writings of BedeBede
Bede , also referred to as Saint Bede or the Venerable Bede , was a monk at the Northumbrian monastery of Saint Peter at Monkwearmouth, today part of Sunderland, England, and of its companion monastery, Saint Paul's, in modern Jarrow , both in the Kingdom of Northumbria...
which can be used for local history although he wrote a national rather than local history. During the late medieval, travel writers such as John Leland frequently visited and described local antiquities, although once again, these writers did not set out to write local history. The Tudor period saw the publication of national gazetteers (for example Camden
William Camden
William Camden was an English antiquarian, historian, topographer, and officer of arms. He wrote the first chorographical survey of the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and the first detailed historical account of the reign of Elizabeth I of England.- Early years :Camden was born in London...
) that frequently contained brief local histories. The eighteenth century saw the emergence of county historians such as Nichols
John Nichols (printer)
John Nichols was an English printer, author and antiquary.-Early life and apprenticeship:He was born in Islington, London to Edward Nichols and Anne Wilmot. On 22 June 1766 he married Anne Cradock daughter of William Cradock...
and Morant
Philip Morant
Philip Morant was an English clergyman, author and historian.He was educated at Abingdon School and Pembroke College, Oxford, eventually taking his Masters Degree at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge in 1729.Ordained in 1722, he began his association with the county of Essex with a curacy at Great...
who were arguably the first local historians. These writers took an interest in subjects that are currently unfashionable (such as manorial descents), but often contain important details which can be used by a modern local historian. The nineteenth century saw the widespread publication of parish histories – often written by the local minister. In 1899, the Victoria County History
Victoria County History
The Victoria History of the Counties of England, commonly known as the Victoria County History or the VCH, is an English history project which began in 1899 and was dedicated to Queen Victoria with the aim of creating an encyclopaedic history of each of the historic counties of...
project began to provide a sound academic basis for local history. The early twentieth century saw individuals in universities with job titles related to local history, but the first department of Local History was established at Leicester in 1947. Interest in local history expanded in the second half of the twentieth century both in numbers and scope. Contemporary researchers gather the conclusions from a wide range of academic disciplines.
Researching local history
Local history research, like that of family historyGenealogy
Genealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members...
, is accessible to people without prior historical training or experience. This is because the very nature of local history is such that starting points are always available locally. An intelligent lay researcher can learn the necessary skills as they research. Archivists
Archive
An archive is a collection of historical records, or the physical place they are located. Archives contain primary source documents that have accumulated over the course of an individual or organization's lifetime, and are kept to show the function of an organization...
and societies can provide advice, encouragement, and information; formal courses of study are also widely available. Many local historians are non-specialists whose enthusiasm for history and have applied this to their area.
Most local history researchers follow a process in which they start from the basic facts offered by the available evidence, make a more detailed analysis of that evidence to explore its implications, and then put that analysis in its wider temporal and geographical context. Some take a more theoretical approach: starting from a hypothesis, which they seek to demonstrate or disprove through evidence.
Primary sources for local history
The survival and availability of local records differs significantly from area to area. West is a good guide to what records may exist and how they might be used. Similarly Iredale also describes where records may be found and how they can be used, although he originally wrote more than thirty years ago and is somewhat dated in parts. There are numerous guides to individual record categories which can be found in bibliographies or referenced in more general works.Secondary sources for local history
Where it exists, the appropriate volume of the Victoria County HistoryVictoria County History
The Victoria History of the Counties of England, commonly known as the Victoria County History or the VCH, is an English history project which began in 1899 and was dedicated to Queen Victoria with the aim of creating an encyclopaedic history of each of the historic counties of...
(VCH) is the best starting point for a locality in England. There is often a local studies library which will contain a wealth of local material. Early county historians often provide parish by parish accounts, although they frequently include long descriptions of manorial descents which are of little interest to the current generation of historians. If there is a history of the parish church, this may well contain useful material.
Books
- Dymond, David. Researching and Writing History: a practical guide for local historians (British Association for Local History, 1999)
- Fowler, Simon. Starting out in local history (Countryside Books, 2001)
- Friar, Stephen. The Local History Companion (Thrupp: Sutton, 2001)
- Hey, David. Oxford Companion to Local and Family History (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1992)
- Tiller, Kate. English Local History: an introduction (Thrupp: Alan Sutton 1992)
- Trubshaw, Bob. How to write and publish local history (Heart of Albion Press, 1999)
- Winterbotham, Diana and Crosby, Alan. The Local Studies Library: a handbook for local historians (British Association for Local History, 1998)
Magazines
- Local History Magazine
- Economic History Review
- Agricultural History Review
- Urban HistoryUrban HistoryUrban history is a field of history that examines the historical nature of cities and towns, and the process of urbanization. The approach tends to be multidisciplinary, crossing boundaries into fields like social history, architectural history, urban sociology, urban geography and archaeology.At...
- Past and PresentPast & PresentPast & Present is a British historical academic journal, which was a leading force in the development of social history. It was founded in 1952 by a combination of Marxist and non-Marxist historians. The Marxist historians included members of the Communist Party Historians Group, including E. P...
- Midland History
- Northern History
- Southern History
- Journal of Regional and Local History
- Local Population Studies
- Local Historian
External links
See also
- MicrohistoryMicrohistoryMicrohistory is the intensive historical investigation of a well defined smaller unit of research...
. - Local History Dictionary