The National Archives - link to home page  
 

Main website navigation:

   
 

Large group outside a building, 1890. Cat ref: COPY1/399House History - your guide to resources

 
 
 
 

How to research your house

Investigating the history of your house can be a fascinating project. Research splits roughly into two main areas. The first is the ownership and occupation of your property. The second, its building and architectural history. The same sources can often be useful for both strands. These pages give an introduction to these sources, links to organisations and a list of useful books.

Before looking at them however, you should check our step-by-step guide to find out how you should begin your research.

Beginners' guides


 

Topics to research:

  Go to topic  
 
     
 

House history documents

 
 

Online

You can search for:

 

At The National Archives

You can:

If the items you want aren't already available online and you can't visit us, you can:

 

Related projects

Hidden House History project, external website - link opens in a new window

Hidden House History is a project to unlock the real stories within your home.

Discover how to unearth documents, find architectural evidence and follow the clues at www.hiddenhousehistory.co.ukExternal website - link opens in a new window.

 
 
In the Bookshop  

 

House History Starter Pack

House History Starter Pack

This pack offers all the guidance you need to begin. Find out more about the House History Starter Pack



Tracing the History of Your House

Tracing the History of Your House

The purchase for anyone researching a house or locality: find out who built your house, when it was built, who the previous occupants were, and how they decorated it! Read more about 'Tracing the History of Your House' book

 
 

Useful links  For more helpful house history links please visit our Archives portal  Go to the Archives portal