Record Offices - some tips on visiting

Obviously if the home you are researching is your own then you will have a good idea where to search for information. However if the house is your ancestors or someone else’s you may need to find out where you have to travel  to look at records. The links page offers a variety of options but you could try using the The Gazetteer which provides an exhaustive Place Name Index to Great Britain, containing over 50,000 entries. It lists the historic county and the main administrative areas in which each place lies.

Once you have found where the village or town is located find the Record Office from the lists below. Then before travelling check their website or phone to find the opening hours. Do not assume a Record Office will be open during a normal day because a number have had to reduce their services recently and now shut on certain days of the week. 

Some record offices require you to have some form of  identification and some have readers tickets. Make sure you have a drivers licence or some form of identification such as passport, bank statement, pension book  or utility bill on you.  Find out whether you need to book, either to visit or to ensure there is a desk space to work at and the use of a microfilm or microfiche reader.

Make sure that the records you need are going to be available. Sometimes documents can be withdrawn for conservation work, or they may be stored off-site and require an advance order.

National Record Offices

Public Record Office
Kew,Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU

The British Library Manuscript Collections
96 Euston Road
London NW1 2DB
Tel: 020 7412 7513 Fax: 020 7412 7745

Historical Manuscripts Commission
Quality House, Quality Court
Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1HP
Tel: 020 7242 1198 Fax: 020 7831 3550
National Library of Wales
Aberystwyth, Ceredigion SY23 3BU
Tel: 01970 632800 Fax: 01970 615709
http://www.llgc.org.uk/

National Archive Scotland
HM General Register House
2 Princes Street, Edinburgh EH1 3YY
Tel: 0131 5351334 Fax: 0131 5351328
http://www.nas.gov.uk/
Records in Wales
Anglesey County Record Office
Shire Hall
Llangefni, Anglesey LL77 7TW
Tel: 01248 752080
Carmarthenshire:
Carmarthenshire Archives Service
Parc Myrddin, Richmond Terrace
Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire SA31 1DS
Tel: 01267 228232 Fax: 01267 228237
Ceredigion:
Ceredigion Archives
County Offices
Marine Terrace
Aberystwyth, Ceredigion SY23 2DE
Tel: 01970 633697/633698
Conway
Conwy Record Office
Old Board School
Lloyd Street, Llandudno LL30 2YG
Tel: 01492 860882
Denbighshire:
Denbighshire Record Office
46 Clwyd Street
Ruthin, Denbighshire, LL15 1HP
Tel: 01824 708250 Fax: 01824 708258
Denbighshire House History
Flintshire:
Flintshire Record Office
The Old Rectory
Hawarden, Flintshire CH5 3NR
Tel: 01244 532364 Fax: 01244 538344
http://bit.ly/xlQNoD
Glamorgan:
Glamorgan Archives,
Clos Parc Morgannwg, Leckwith, Cardiff, CF11 8AW. Email: glamro@cardiff.gov.uk www.glamarchives.gov.uk
Tel: 029 2078 0282 Fax: 029 2078 0284
Glamorgan House history
West Glamorgan Archive Service
County Hall,
Oystermouth Road, Swansea SA1 3SN
Tel: 01792 636589 Fax: 01792 637130
Tracing the history of your house in West Glamorgan
Gwyndd:
Council Offices
Caernarfon, Gwynedd
LL55 1SH
Tel: 01286 672255 Fax: 01286 673993
Pembrokeshire Record Office
The Castle
Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire SA61 2EF
Tel:01437 763707 Fax:01437 768539
Tracing the history of your house in Pembrokeshire
Powys:
Powys County Archives Office
County Hall
Llandrindod Wells, Powys LD1 5LG
Tel: 01597 826088
Records in Scotland
Aberdeenshire Council Archives 
Old Aberdeen House, Dunbar Street, Aberdeen AB24 3UJ

Angus Archives 
Hunter Library, Restenneth Priory, by Forfar, DD8 2SZ

Argyll and Bute Council Archives 
Kilmory, Manse Brae, Lochgilphead, Argyll PA31 8QU

Ayrshire
Ayrshire Archives Centre
Craigie Estate, Ayr KA8 0SS

Clackmannanshire Council Archives 
26-28 Drysdale Street, ALLOA FK10 1JL

Dumfries and Galloway Archives
Archive Centre, 33 Burns Street, Dumfries DG1 2PS

Dundee City Archives 
Archive & Record Centre, 21 City Square, Dundee DD1 3BY

Dundee University Archives 
Tower Building, University of Dundee Dundee DD1 4HN

East Dunbartonshire Council Information and Archives 
William Patrick Library, 2-4 West High Street, Kirkintilloch, G66 1AD

East Lothian Council Local History Centre 
Haddington Library, Newton Port, Haddington, EH41 3HA

Edinburgh City Archives 
City Chambers, High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1YJ

Falkirk Council Archives 
History Research Centre, Callendar House, Callendar Park, Falkirk FK1 1YR

Fife Council Archive Centre 
Carleton House, The Haig Business Park, Balgonie Road, Markinch, KY7 6AQ

Glasgow City Council Archives and Special Collections 
Level 2, The Mitchell, North Street, Glasgow G3 7DN

Highland Council Archive 
Inverness Library, Farraline Park, Inverness IV1 1NH

Midlothian Council Archives 
Local Studies Centre, Midlothian Library Headquarters, 2 Clerk Street, Loanhead, Midlothian EH20 9DR

Moray Council 
Local Heritage Centre, Old East End School, Institution Road, Elgin, Moray, IV30 1RP

National Archives of Scotland 
HM General Register House, 2, Princes Street, Edinburgh EH1 3YY

National Library of Scotland 
Manuscripts Division, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1EW

National Monuments Record of Scotland 
Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland, John Sinclair House, 16 Bernard Terrace, Edinburgh EH8 9NL
Scottish Borders Archive and Local History Centre 
St Mary's Mill, Selkirk TD7 5EU

Shetland Archives 
44 King Harald Street, Lerwick ZE1 0EQ

South Lanarkshire Council Archives and Information Managament Service 
30 Hawbank Road, College Milton, East Kilbride G74 5EX

Stirling Council Archives Services 
5 Borrowmeadow Road, Stirling FK7 7UW

West Lothian Council Archives 
7 9 Dunlop Square, Deans Industrial Estate, Livingston, West Lothian EH54 8SB 


​

Where can I find out more?

How to find your archives
​
The Archon Directory, hosted by the National Archives website, provides contact details for archives all over the UK and beyond 

Access to Archives contains indexes to collections across England and Wales

​The Scottish Archive Network contains indexes to collections in Scotland.

Access to Archives (A2A) has a database which  contains catalogues describing archives held locally in England and Wales and dating from the eighth century to the present day.

What to take with you
when you visit a record office

Some record office will not let you use ink so make sure you have pencils but not those with erasures as they may be forbidden. Take some paper to make notes or check whether you can use a spiral-bound notebook which many now favour. If you take a camera you must make sure you can switch off the flash. You could use you mobile phone camera as long as you switch off the sound.                                                                                                                   
You are allowed to take a laptop computer and some record offices provide power points, but just in case make ensure the battery is fully charged.

A tip - don't forget to turn off the sound as the music most laptops play at start-up can be irritatingly loud.

Take enough money to pay for a car park, lunch, the use of a locker or cloakroom and any photocopies you might need. Make sure you have your notes with you as you do not want to turn up on the other side of the country to find you have forgotten some key details of your research 

Records in England

Bedfordshire:
The County Archivist
Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records Service
County Hall, Bedford MK42 9AP
Tel: 01234 228833 or 228777 or 363222 ext.2833 Fax: 01234 228854
Berkshire 
The Berkshire Record Office 
9 Coley Avenue
Reading
Berkshire
RG1 6AF
Buckinghamshire:
Buckinghamshire Records & Local Studies Service
County Hall, Walton Street
Aylesbury, Bucks HP20 1UU
Tel: 01296 382587 Fax: 01296 382274
Cambridge
County Record Office
RES 1009 Room 001
Shire Hall
Castle Hill, Cambridge CB3 0AP
Tel: 01223 717281 Fax: 01223 717201
House history in Cambridge
​
Cheshire Record Office
Duke Street
Chester, Cheshire CH1 1RL
Tel: 01244 602574 Fax : 01244 603812
Cornwall:
Cornwall Record Office
County Hall
Truro, Cornwall TR1 3AY
Tel: 01872 323127 Fax: 01872 270340
Property history in Cornwall
Cumbria - Cumbria  Archives has four offices:-
Barrow  -  Cumbria Archive and Local Studies Centre  
140 Duke Street  Barrow-in-Furness  LA14 1XW 
Tel: 01229 407377 
Email: barrow.archives@cumbria.gov.uk
Carlisle -  Cumbria Archive Centre   
Lady Gillford's House  Petteril Bank Road 
Carlisle  Cumbria  CA1 3AJ 
Tel: 01228 227285/227284 
Email: carlisle.archives@cumbria.gov.uk
Kendal  -  Cumbria Archive Centre 
Kendal County Offices   Kendal ,LA9 4RQ 
Tel: 01539 713540 or 713539 
Email: kendal.archives@cumbria.gov.uk
Whitehaven - Cumbria Archive and Local Studies Centre
Scotch Street Whitehaven  CA28 7NL 
Tel: 01946 506420 
Email: whitehaven.archives@cumbria.gov.uk
Cumbria House history source book 

Derbyshire:
Derbyshire Record Office
35201 New Street
Matlock, Derbyshire DE4 3AG
Tel: 01629 58000 Fax: 01629 57611
History of the house in Derbyshire
Devon:
Devon Record Office
Castle Street, Exeter EX4 3PU
Tel: 01392 384253

Dorset:
Dorset Record Office
Bridport Road, Dorchester DT1 1RP
Tel: 01305 250550 Fax: 01305 257184
house history in Dorset
Durham County:
Durham Record Office
County Hall, Durham DH1 5UL
Tel: 0191 383 3253 Fax: 0191 383 4500
House History in Durham
Essex
County Hall
Market Road
Chelmsford CM1 1QH
House History in Essex
Gloucestershire:
Gloucestershire Record Office
Clarence Row
Alvin Street, Gloucester GL1 3DW
Tel: 01452 425295 Fax: 01452 426378
Local history in Gloucestershire
Hampshire:
Hampshire Record Office
Sussex Street, Winchester, Hampshire, SO23 8TH
Tel: 01962 846154
House history in Hampshire
Herefordshire:
Herefordshire Record Office
The Old Barracks
Harold Street, Hereford HR1 2QX
Tel: 01432 260750
House History in Herefordshire
Hertfordshire:
County Hall, Pegs Lane
Hertford, Hertfordshire SG13 8EJ
Tel: 01992 555105
House history in Hertfordshire
Huntingdonshire:
County Record Office
Grammar School Walk
Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE29 6LF
Tel: 01480 375842 Fax: 01480 375842
Kent:
The Centre for Kentish Studies
Sessions House, County Hall
Maidstone, Kent, ME14 1XQ
Tel 01622 694363 Fax 01622 694379
House history in Kent
Lancashire:
Lancashire Record Office
Bow Lane
Preston, Lancashire PR1 2RE
Tel: 01772 263039 Fax : 01772 263050
London:
London Metropolitan Archives
40 Northampton Road, London EC1R OHB
Tel: 020 7332 3820 Fax: 020 7833 9136
Lambeth House History 
Norfolk:
Gildengate House
Anglia Square
Upper Green Lane, Norwich NR3 1AX
Tel: 01603 761349 Fax: 01603 761885
Northamptonshire:
Northamptonshire Record Office
Wootton Hall Park
Northampton, Northants NN4 8BQ
Tel: 01604 762129 Fax: 01604 767562
Northumberland:
Northumberland Record Office
Melton Park
North Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 5QX
Tel: 0191 236 2680 Fax: 0191 217 0905
Nottinghamshire:
Nottinghamshire Archives
County House
Castle Meadow Road, Nottinghamshire NG2 1AG
Tel: 01159 581634 Fax: 01159 413997
Oxfordshire:
Oxfordshire Record Office
St Luke's Church
Temple Road, Cowley, Oxford OX4 2EX
Tel 01865 398200
Shropshire:
Shropshire Records & Research Centre
Castle Gates, Shrewsbury SY1 2AQ
Tel: 01743 255350 Fax: 01743 255355
Somerset:
Somerset Record Office
Obridge Road
Taunton, Somerset TA2 4BU
Tel: 01823 278805 Fax: 01823 325402
Bath
Bath & North East Somerset Record Office
Guildhall
High Street
Bath
Staffordshire:
Staffordshire Record Office
Eastgate Street, Stafford ST16 2LZ
Tel: 01785 278379 Fax: 01785-278384
Suffolk:
Suffolk Record Office
77 Raingate Street
Bury St Edmunds IP33 2AR
Tel: 01284 352352 Fax 01284 352355
Surrey:
Surrey History Centre
130 Goldsworth Road
Woking, Surrey GU21 1ND
Tel: 01483 594594 Fax: 01483 594595
East Sussex:
The East Sussex Record Office
The Maltings
Castle Precinct
Lewes, East Sussex BN7 1YT
Tel: 01273 482349 Fax: 01273 482341
West Sussex:
West Sussex Record Office
County Hall
Chichester, West Sussex PO19 1RN
Tel: 01243 753600 Fax: 01243 533959
Warwickshire:
Warwickshire County Record Office
Priory Park
Cape Road, Warwick CV34 4JS
Tel: 01926 412735 Fax: 01926 412509
Wiltshire and Swindon:
Wiltshire and Swindon Record Office
Library and Heritage Headquarters
Bythesea Road
Trowbridge, Wiltshire BA14 8BS
Tel: 01225 713709 Fax: 01225 713993
Worcestershire:
Record Office, County Hall
Spetchley Road, Worcester WR5 2NP
West Yorkshire:
West Yorkshire Archive Service
Yorkshire Archaeological Society Claremont 23
Clarendon Road, Leeds LS2 9NZ
Tel: 0113 245 6362 Fax: 0113 244 1979
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