Victoria County History

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Begun in 1899, the Victoria County History is an encyclopaedic record of England’s places & people.

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Victoria County History@vch-home· Jul 8

#Northstead (or Peasholme, or - delightfully - Hatterboard) was a manor in the parish of Scalby, just north of Scarborough about which our predecessors could say very little indeed: british-history.ac.uk/vch/yorks/no... Famously, the manor house is now under a lake in Peasholme Park. [cont.]

Extract from an OS map showing Peasholme Park, Scarborough. There is a lake with an island in it.

Mock naval battles are fought on the lake between (very large) model battleships three times a week in the summer. Being shot at is not among the Steward of the Manor of Northstead's duties, perhaps to the disappointment of some.

The lake, Peasholme Park. Manor house somewhere underneath it.

Victoria County History@vch-home· Jul 8

The process is formally in the hands of this Chancellor of the Exchequer (why? It's an office of profit, after all, even though no money changes hands). The name, and 'office' have achieved some fame - there's even a play and a film (1949). What about #Northstead?

Screenshot from the title of the film 'The Chiltern Hundreds' by William Douglas Home (yes, he was the younger brother of Sir Alec Douglas Home, briefly prime minister).

Victoria County History@vch-home· Jul 8

We've written the history - in which their parliamentary role is, well, a footnote - of both. Let's start with the #ChilternHundreds, Desborough, Burnham, and Stoke, grouped together since at least the 13th century and held then, and thereafter, by the Crown. [cont.]

Map showing the Chiltern Hundreds in the south of Buckinghamshire.

Map - source here: https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/bucks/vol3/pp32-34 - showing the parishes of the Chiltern Hundreds.

Victoria County History@vch-home· Jun 30

Work was begun on these texts in the early years of the 20th century but the resulting manuscript - which was preserved first in our archives, and more recently @swheritagetrust.bsky.social in the Devon Heritage Centre, Exeter. 2/3

Manuscript page from draft history of VCH Devon on the hospital or lazar house of St Mary Magdalene, Plympton in a rather spidery hand.

Victoria County History@vch-home· Jun 25

We have finally braved the heat and retrieved our copy of our latest #BigRedBook! Wiltshire vol. 20, Chippenham and Environs will soon be available from @boydellandbrewer.bsky.social and a copy is already available @ihrlibrary.bsky.social. #Skystorians

A large red hardback book, with title on a cream label, Chippenham and Environs’

A selection from the colour gather in the book. Top is a manuscript map showing a plan of Chippenham as it was in 1820. Below is a drone shot of the Maud Heath monument, a figure of a woman in stone atop a column.

Victoria County History@vch-home· May 14

Today is our annual VCH Day - where our friends, colleagues, and collaborators from around England gather together - to celebrate the project’s work. We are also sharing awards for outstanding contributions, including to Shirley Durgan of the VCH Clacton group in Essex. #Skystorians

Shirley Durgan (left), receiving a certificate from Professor Catherine Clarke.

Victoria County History@vch-home· Apr 8

Ok, so our Red Books are slightly less conspicuous than the Humber Bridge - one of the symbols of Humberside (albeit planned before Humberside came into being) - but nonetheless, a product of that late local authority that brought Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire (sort of), together. 3/3

The Humber Bridge under construction: By Stephen McKay, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14349457

Victoria County History@vch-home· Mar 1

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus! Happy St David's Day! We're tearing ourselves away from our Welsh cakes to remind you that, although we have not (to date - never say never), published anything on Wales/Cymru, back in 1903, we had planned to do so. And still might. #HanesCymru #WelshHistory #Skystorians

Flyer advertising a proposal for 'The Victoria History of the Counties of Wales' listing the president of the committee as HRH The Prince of Wales.

Pitch for a Victoria History of the Counties of Wales.

Should you have a parish/VCH-shaped project in Wales/Cymru that you think we could deliver, we would be happy to hear from you, so please get in touch. Diolch i ddarllen.

Victoria County History@vch-home· Feb 26

#ComingSoon, our latest #PartnershipPublication with @hobnobpress.bsky.social. We’re launching this in two weeks time on 12 March, and Chippenham, Our History will for a prelude to the #BigRedBook out later this year. #Skystorians

Victoria County History@vch-home· Feb 23

Praise for our 'Short' on the parish of Cradley, Herefordshire, by Terry Morgan in the Transactions of the Woolhope Club. Learn more, and buy now from our friends @uolpress.bsky.social. #Skystorians #LocalHistory uolpress.co.uk/book/the-vic...

Text reads: Although frequent readers of VCH publications will be familiar with this disciplined
approach to research, it may be valuable to highlight that characteristic for new readers.
Conclusions and clear explorations of change over time are brought together from the
combination and interweaving of a great deal of evidence, briefly presented, thus creating
volumes that are scholarly but remain engaging and approachable.
Of course, given the short format and the extent of material researched, there is little space
to develop individual points or stories, but the reader is provided with every opportunity to
identify matters of personal interest and follow them up, using the excellent references available.

Victoria County History@vch-home· Feb 23

Note that even this site was not first used as a mosque, but as 'Dramatic College for the training of actors' - what happened next is better described here: shahjahanmosque.org.uk/the-mosque/h...

Victoria County History@vch-home· Feb 23

The reuse of buildings is a recurring theme and even - to an extent - is true of the 'first' mosque in England, at Woking, Surrey. The Shah Jehan Mosque was built in 1899. Noted in VCH Surrey vol. 3 (1908) as 'The mosque at Maybury...', [cont.]

The Mosque at Maybury was built in 1889. The extensive buildings here were opened as the Dramatic College for the training of actors in 1865; but failing to answer its purpose the place was transformed by the exertions of Dr. G. W. Leitner, in 1886, into the Oriental Institute, for the accommodation of Indian subjects of the Crown visiting England, with two separate departments for high-caste Hindus and for Mohammedans respectively.

Victoria County History@vch-home· Feb 23

In VCH Staffordshire, vol. 9 (2003), it is noted that as well as the fifth purpose-built mosque in England on Princess Street, Burton on Trent (1977) there were others, a converted school and another, on Parker Street, a former Methodist Chapel. www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/staffs/v...

A former Methodist chapel in Burton on Trent, converted into a mosque. A red brick building with bands of clue brick shown gable end facing the street. It has a decorated style window in stone flanked by smaller lancet windows.

Victoria County History@vch-home· Feb 23

But St Luke's - as it was - was redundant and purchased in 1983, a sale approved by the bishop, the rural dean, the deanery synod, both the city's MPs and the City Council. Today, it serves the purpose for which it was built: it remains a place of worship. sotonopedia.wikidot.com/page-browse:...

A screenshot of a digital map showing the former church of St Luke, now the Singh Sabha Gurdwara.

A newspaper clipping. Heading reads: St Luke's Church in Onslow Road, Southampton, can be sold to the Sikhs for use as a temple, the Church of England Commissioners decided. It goes on: But they stressed that thei decision is based on the particular circumstances surrounding St Luke's. A similar proposal for a church elsewhere would not necessarily be approved. The commissioners decision will be welcomed by the Bishop of Winchester, Dr. John Taylor, who has backed the sale to the Sikhs all along. Others in favour of the scheme included the Deanery Synon, Southampton's two MPs and the city council. Southampton's rural dean, Canon Peter Raban, said: "I'm ver delighted and very relieved. I congratulate the Commissioners for taking the bull by the horns and not being swayed by the fears of the minority. "It is a courageous decision which is right for Southampton. The Church is people, not buildings."

Mr. Martin Symon, Press Officer for the Commissioners, said the scheme would be submitted to the Queen for confirmation.

Victoria County History@vch-home· Feb 23

Take St Luke's in Southampton's Newtown, built in 1852-3 - noted in VCH Hants vol. 3 (1908), available @bho.bsky.social. The church was built as spiritual provision for the growing town: www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/hants/vo...

Excerpt from an Ordnance Survey map showing Onslow Road running diagonally from West (bottom left) to east (top right) with other streets crossing it. At its junction with Lower Lyon Street stands St Luke's Church in a roughly trapezoidal plot.

Victoria County History@vch-home· Jan 7

What’s this? A second new book in two days? Towcester Hundred is the eighth VCH volume for Northamptonshire, including the town of Towcester and its rural neighbours. Available soon from @boydellandbrewer.bsky.social and @ihrlibrary.bsky.social. #Skystorians #LocalHistory

The cover of a red hardback book. The title, in red on a cream label is ‘Towcester Hundred’

A sample page from a book showing text in two columns and an image of a townscape. Centre a church tower with ivy clad two storey brick building to the left and Victorian town hall to the right.

A facing page spread with map in black and white to the left and two column text to the right.

Victoria County History@vch-home· Nov 28

Yesterday, @jack-newman.com (and friends) came to look at our archive - specifically some of the 6 linear metres of unpublished material relating to #Kent. This will support work on #Maidstone, and will also help us scope the condition of the material and the work needed to catalogue it fully. 🗃️

Five bundles of brown envelopes with labels and string.

Victoria County History@vch-home· Oct 29

Our friends @ihrlibrary.bsky.social have been checking on some of our archival holdings including materials on #Cumberland and #Kent. This forms just part of the material which is available for researchers (including research materials, correspondence & more). Get in touch! #Skystorians

Victoria County History@vch-home· Oct 2

A wonderful surprise this morning in the form of the latest publication from @wiltshistory.bsky.social. Have a quick flick through @lrylandepton.bsky.social’s ’Langley Burrell and Kellaways, A History’, available now from @hobnobpress.bsky.social.

Victoria County History@vch-home· Sep 15

Join us online on 24 Sept to celebrate the 250th VCH Big Red Book! Founded in 1899, @vchlondon.bsky.social is writing the #history of every place in #England, with partners across the country. We'll also celebrate #LocalHistory, #communityhistory & #place based history more widely. All welcome!

https://www.history.ac.uk/news-events/events/celebrating-local-place-based-history-westmorland-250th-vch-big-red-book#:~:text=Event%20information%3E&text=In%20September%202025%2C%20the%20UK's,and%20community%20history%20more%20widely.

Victoria County History@vch-home· Aug 12

Meanwhile, we hear from our amazing colleague Sarah Rose (who has done so much to bring Westmorland I to fruition as editor), advance copies have arrived! Look out for a launch discount with @boydellandbrewer.bsky.social - coming soon! #SneakPeak #NewBook #Skystorians

Three brown cardboard boxes - the top one is open and red books are peaking out!

Pages from a book, showing a map of the parish of Kirkby Lonsdale.

Victoria County History@vch-home· Jun 26

Wonderful news about the Heath Fritillary in Devon from @nationaltrust.org.uk! VCH Devon vol. I (1906) – Lepidoptera by the late Chas. G. Barrett F.E.S, describes its distribution and notes: “Devon seems to have always been specially favoured by this very local and beautiful butterfly”

Page from a book. The pertinent text reads: Melitaea athalia [Heath Fritillary], Esp. Bickleigh Vale; Horrabridge; and elsewhere on Dartmoor; formerly in Fordlands Woods nr. Exeter; Buckland...

Page from a book, continuing from the previous image.

... Woods; Newton Bushel; Barnstaple; Instow; Torrington; and Exmoor. Devon seems to have always been sepcially favoured by this very local and beautiful butterfly.

Victoria County History@vch-home· Jun 19

Our latest book from #Herefordshire, Cradley, was launched last night on a beautiful summer evening. The authors, Anastasia Stylianou and Fergus Eskola-Oakes and our director, @cathamclarke.bsky.social joined an appreciative audience. We sold plenty of copies, but if you would like one [cont.]

A book, 'Cradley', by Anastaisia Stylianou and Fergus Eskola-Oakes, with a cover featuring a timber framed building in an autumnal landscape. The gable end of the same building, Cradley parish hall, formerly the church ale hall, built in the 15th century is the backdrop, below a deep blue sky.

The authors, Anastasia Stylianou (left), in a long dress, smiling, and Fergus Eskola-Oakes, wearing a blue shirt and black jeans, holding their book against the backdrop of Cradley parish hall, a timber framed building which is also on the cover.

Victoria County History@vch-home· Jun 10

NEW BOOK! We are delighted to announce the publication of our latest book from our colleagues in Herefordshire - Cradley is a large parish beneath the Malvern hills, joining VCH Shorts on Eastnor, Colwall, and Bosbury. Buy direct from @uolpress.bsky.social, or (soon!) from bookshops in #Ledbury. 🗃️

Cover of The Victoria History of Herefordshire, Cradley. Grey title band with, below, an image of a timber framed building against a backdrop of trees in autumn yellows.

Victoria County History@vch-home· Jun 4

A nice surprise in the post from @boydellandbrewer.bsky.social in the shape of a reprinted edition of @gillint.bsky.social's 'The Townscape of Darlington' which tracks the development of the town from the Middle Ages to the Millennium. More here: boydellandbrewer.com/978190435621... 🗃️ 1/2

Victoria County History@vch-home· May 15

Today is our annual #VCHDay where colleagues from around the country gather for a catch up and to share ideas, experiences and new publications. Here's a preview of our next book, a proof of 'Basingstoke Reinvented, 1800-1925, soon to be available from @hobnobpress.bsky.social. 🗃️ #LocalHistory

Front cover of a book, entitled 'Basingstoke Reinvented, 1800-1925, from Agricultural Town to Manufacturing Centre', edited by Jean Morrin.

The title is white on a red band occupying the top third of the cover. Beneath are two views if the town from the same spot. The top (a black/white engraving), shows trees and thatched cottages. The lower image, a hand tinted photograph shows the 19th century streets that replaced the cottages, c. 1920.

Victoria County History@vch-home· Apr 11

More of the tensions in a bit, but first: have you ever wondered why #Southend is called that? In 1777 - from Chapman and Andre's map of Essex - it was 'Southend Common', part of the village of #Prittlewell. The whole map (and many more), are on @chppc.bsky.social's www.layersoflondon.org. 🗃️

Excerpt from a map of Prittlewell, Essex. It shows the sea (well, the Thames estuary) at the bottom, with rising land, shown with hatchures above cliffs. Settlement is sparse, and scattered.

Victoria County History@vch-home· Apr 11

Where better to start - because the early expansion of the early resort of #Southend was tied heavily to London commuters - that at Fenchurch Street station of the London, Tilbury & Southend Railway? From 1856, well-heeled City types could head into town from their villa by the sea.

The Victorian frontage of Fenchurch Street station - yellow London stock brick with a curved tympanum over two storeys. A zigzag-roofed canopy provides shelter below 11 curved top windows on the first floor. There's a clock: it's broken. Inside is pure British Rail from the late 1970s, but you wouldn't know it from here!

The train to Southend (well, Shoebury). In 1856, the journey to Southend was an hour and a half. Progress!

Now, it's a little over an hour on these modern(ish) white electric trains with yellow bibs below the cab windows. The arrangement of lights makes them look as though they're smiling. There are substantial buffer stops made of old rail in the foreground: bright red.

Victoria County History@vch-home· Apr 4

This latest excerpt from our next #BigRedBook, Westmorland, volume 1, is for #FolkloreFriday shows the range of our histories. At #Killington in the Lune valley, and into Cumberland, 15 miles away, foot and mouth disease in 1839 was met with a 'need fire'. What's that? Read on! #VCHRedBook250

Killington Hall, Westmorland - a crenulated stone building of two storeys with a gable end and chimneys visible. The setting is a stone-walled lane with grass and trees rising above it.

The old Scotch road, Killington. A straight, undulating minor road bounded by stone walls heading towards plantation conifers on the hills rising at the back of the shot. This was the medieval route from Lancaster to Scotland via Carlisle. Despite its apparent straightness, the Roman road was elsewhere (and still visible in the landscape).

Victoria County History@vch-home· Apr 1

Over the next few months we'll be previewing highlights from our first volume for the historic county of #Westmorland - which happens to be a milestone for the project as a whole: our 250th #BigRedBook. Here's the first, showing the impact of the slave trade in rural NW England. 🗃️ #VCHRedBook250