History of Your House Top Tips

• Begin by reading all you can about the subject. Search the online catalogue to see and request books on the subject. Search by subject, and type in Houses, history of possession

• Join a local history society. Go to the Local Information Database (LID) or see the printed version available in all libraries

Your research begins...

Local history collections in Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire libraries can help you set about tracing the history of a property in Bedfordshire. Click on the links to find out more , and where you can find them.

• Census records will tell you who was living in a particular house on the night of the census
• County guides and directories and Town guides and directories list, alphabetically, streets and surnames of residents
• By consulting different map editions it is possible to track the development of an individual building including alterations, change of use and change of plot size
• Photographs and prints which might show your house
• The Victoria County History for Bedfordshire deals fully with manors and manor-houses.
• Local Newspapers can be a valuable source of information on local buildings and people
• Topic files of local information from local newspapers and magazines, pamphlets etc
• Electoral registers and poll books show residents of households are listed by property address
• Weblinks is an easy way to find useful web sites. See the Weblinks sections House history and Bedfordshire and Bedfordshire towns and villages
• Books about your local area may contain information and photographs that could help you. Check the library catalogue for details

Other useful sources

• Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records Service will also have valuable sources of information

• If your house is of historic interest, there may be information at Bedfordshire's Historic Environment Record, the key source of information on Bedfordshire's historic buildings and structures
• The Heritage Gateway website lets you search the Bedfordshire Historic Environment Record

• The Land Registry web site has forms on which you can apply to find out about property ownership