Archives - Hampshire County Council

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Free access to historical material covering over 1000 years of Hampshire history. Welcome to the Archives and Local Studies service at Hampshire Record Office.

We collect archives relating to Hampshire and Hampshire families, and film and sound archives relating to central southern England. We also house Hampshire's local studies library. You are very welcome to visit us online or in person. No appointment necessary! Our entire holdings have been Designated by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council as an outstanding collection of national and international importance, providing an unparalleled resource for the knowledge and understanding of the history of the geographical area of Hampshire. Before you visit us we advise checking our online catalogue or list of popular records to check whether we have what you are looking for. http://www3.hants.gov.uk/archives/catalog.htm

Researchers need a CARN (County Archive Research Network) ticket. These are free and can be issued immediately if you have proof of name, address and signature. One-day temporary tickets are also available. You will need to show your ticket each time you enter and exit the search room. At Wessex Film and Sound Archive you can see and hear history, from late Victorian times to the present day, through moving images and sound recordings. The Archive contains over 35,000 film and sound recordings relating to central southern England, including film and tapes of local TV and radio, to study and enjoy.

12/10/2026

Have you ever wondered what happens behind the 'staff only ' doors in the Record Office?

There are a few spaces left on our next Behind the Scenes tour this Friday, 16th October, 2pm-3.30pm. Booking required, £15. See https://www.hants.gov.uk/librariesandarchives/archives/events/behind-the-scenes-161026 for more information.

Image shown is of a deed of gift of land in Isington, Binsted, dating from the late 13th century (70A06/1)

10/10/2026

The theme for October is . In 1939 a Folklore section of the Hampshire Field Club and Archaeological Society was proposed and subsequently formed. It continued until the late 1950s

The image shows a flyer which was produced about the proposed new section (215M85/89)

04/10/2026

The 4th October 1898, saw the sale of a private residence and business premises on South Street, Havant. The business had recently been used as the South Street Brewery, Havant (129M90/K53)

01/10/2026

'Anglo-Saxons in the Lower Test Valley' is our latest exhibition. It illustrates the findings of the Romsey Local History Society (LTVAS) into the Anglo-Saxons in the Lower Test Valley.

The Society looked at Saxon archaeology, local Saxon charters and the written, architectural and archaeological history of Romsey Abbey.

For more information see https://www.hants.gov.uk/librariesandarchives/archives/events/anglo-saxons-300926-161226. The exhibition is on show during our usual opening hours (Tue, Wed, Thu 9.30-3pm) until the 16th December.

30/09/2026

This month we received a wonderful collection relating to , including postcards, photographs, title deeds, and printed material such as sale particulars (59A26).

This includes an album of black and white photographs of schools in Aldershot and in nearby areas of Surrey including Farnham, Seale, Tilford, Tongham and Wrecclesham (59A26/B2/4). Many of the photographs show children and their teachers outside, in formal or informal groups. The album was presented to F.H Thompson, Sub-Inspector of Schools, by the Farnham and Aldershot Teachers Association in 1903.

You can see the catalogue entry for the album at https://archivescatalogue.hants.gov.uk/records/A26059/2/2/4, and the catalogue of the collection at https://archivescatalogue.hants.gov.uk/records/A26059 (work continues on the detailed cataloguing of some sections).

18/09/2026

We look forward to welcoming visitors tomorrow, Saturday, 19 Sept, 9.30am-4pm, as part of Wi******er Heritage Open Days and the Heritage Open Days festival. Free, pre-booking not required.

We are operating a full search room service, and if you haven't done any research before, this is an ideal day to visit: if you are interested in the history of your Hampshire family, house or community we will help you get started, or you can just find out more about what Hampshire Archives does.

You'll also be able to watch our conservator at work conserving some of the most fragile parchment documents from the Wi******er Cathedral Archive, so that they can be handled again.

The illustration shows the conserved diet account roll of St Swithun's Priory, which ran the medieval Cathedral, 1513-14 (DC/A5/5/2, courtesy of the Dean and Chapter of Wi******er Cathedral).

16/09/2026

We are open this Saturday, 19 Sept, 9.30am-4pm, as part of Wi******er Heritage Open Days and the Heritage Open Days festival.

In addition to a normal search room service, this will include an opportunity to visit the conservation area. Watch our conservator at work repairing some of the most fragile parchment documents from the Wi******er Cathedral archive, so that they can be handled again. If you would like to see this, please let one of the staff in the foyer know, and we will take small informal groups up to the conservation area over the course of the day.

We're also inviting first-time visitors to explore the archives. Whether you're interested in family history, local heritage or simply curious about Hampshire Archives, this free introductory day is the perfect opportunity to learn more about our collections, services and how to get started with your research.

Illustration: Wootton St Lawrence manor court roll, 1347-8 (DC/J4/18/9, courtesy of the Dean and Chapter of Wi******er Cathedral).

11/09/2026

Our next Saturday opening on the 19 September provides a chance to see our latest exhibition 'Wi******er Beekeepers at 100: An Exhibition of Honey Bees, Hives and Heritage'. The exhibition is on show until the 23 September during our usual opening hours, for more information see https://www.hants.gov.uk/librariesandarchives/archives/events/winchester-beekeepers-010726

07/09/2026

September is the month when schools in England return for the new school year. The photograph shown is of Long Sutton schoolchildren, c1897. It also shows the schoolmaster Mr Williams and a Miss Williams, possibly his sister?

The 1901 census confirms his name as William Williams (or Williames), aged 37 and born in Cardiff (43M82/22)

05/09/2026

Our next Saturday opening is in two weeks time, 19 September, 9.30am-4pm and is part of . See https://www.hants.gov.uk/librariesandarchives/archives/events/never-been-here-before-190926 for more information.

It is a good opportunity to start researching your local and house history, or perhaps the history of your local public house. The photograph shown is of the Chairmakers Arms, Denmead, c1968 (74A09/H14)

Address

Hampshire Record Office, Sussex Street
Wi******er
SO238TH

Telephone

+441962846154

Website

http://www.hants.gov.uk/librariesandarchives/archives

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