House History Hunting

A guide for beginners by building historian Jean Manco

Style has a story. First look at the house itself. There could be a host of clues to the period of your home. Sometimes a house seems determined to fool you. A Georgian owner could have put a bright new face on an old house. Or a Victorian house may be trying to look medieval. So cast an eye over the neighbourhood too. Is your house part of a Georgian square or a Victorian suburb? A local history could flesh out the story.

Visual aids

Maps are a good starting point for house history. Maps, plans and images are invaluable sources for the house historian. They could show what your house once looked like and what changes have been made. Click here for a guide to visual evidence.

Where to look

The deeds to your house may reveal many of its mysteries. Old deeds might be held at the local record office along with family, ecclesiastical, parochial and manorial records. Find out how to locate documents in libraries, local studies libraries and online resources by clicking here.

Further reading

Have a look at a list of books and online guides to help you continue your research.