USING NORTHUMBERLAND ARCHIVES
Each English and Welsh county has an Archives Service, sometimes known as the County Record Office. Northumberland Archives Service has two service points, our main office at Woodhorn [insert link to Google maps] in south-east Northumberland, and a branch office at Berwick-upon-Tweed [insert link to Google maps]. Together both offices serve all of the geographical area of the present county of Northumberland.
Each office has a public searchroom – a space that members of the public can use to consult documents. Staff are available in each searchroom to provide guidance about sources. The Northumberland Archives website provides information about holdings, opening hours and our services – www.northumberlandarchives.com
Preparing For Your Visit
There are a number of things that you can do in preparation for your visit:
- Register for an Archives Card – Home (archivescard.com)
- Make a note of all of the information that you have about the property and bring this with you when you visit Northumberland Archives.
- Make a search of the Northumberland Archives online catalogue.
- Make a list of the information that you are hoping to find in advance of your visit.
- Bring a pencil and paper or laptop (we do not allow use of pens – they have the potential to damage documents).
Archives Card
Before you use our service you need to register for an Archives Card. You can begin the registration process online here [Home (archivescard.com)]. You should then bring two pieces of ID with you on your first visit. The forms of ID are detailed on the Archives Card website. Staff will then issue you with a Card. You should bring your card with you on each visit.
Booking A Visit
Sources relating to Hexham are held at our office at Woodhorn and it is not necessary to book a place in advance of your visit. Our opening hours are publicised on our website [insert link]. Core opening hours are:
Wednesday – Friday 10am – 4pm
First Saturday in each month 10am – 4pm
Closed Bank Holidays
Sources relating to north Northumberland (Berwick south to Ellingham and Beadnell, west to Ingram and north to Carham) are held at Berwick Record Office. Documents are stored offsite and it is essential to reserve them in advance of a visit. This can be arranged via Eventbrite (Northumberland Archives Events | Eventbrite) or by emailing berwickarchives@northumberland.gov.uk. Core opening hours are:
Wednesday & Thursday 9.30am – 12.45pm, 2pm-4.45pm
Closed Bank Holidays
Using The Archive Catalogue
Textual descriptions of about 450,000 items in our care can be found in our online catalogue. The catalogue can be found here Home Page (northumberland.gov.uk). Once you reach the homepage you should conduct an advanced search:
It is unlikely that you will know the reference of the document so instead you should use either the title or the any text boxes.
In this example we have typed Battle Hill Hexham into the any text box.
The next step is to hit the red Search button. A list of all the entries including this term is now presented. This is the first page of the search results:
Scrolling down the page we can see that there are 98 references to this term.
By clicking on the Ref No (written in blue) you may be able to discover more information about the record and possibly see a digital image of it. In this example we will look at the item referenced NRO 05845/3/79:
If we click on the blue RefNo we can access more information about the record.
This information includes a thumbnail image of the photograph. If we then click on the thumbnail we see a larger version of the image.
The image is watermarked as it is a viewing copy. If you like a copy of the image for personal research this can be provided for a small charge.
Using the Catalogue – video
This short video provides some guidance about using our online catalogue. The catalogue is web-based and can be accessed from home.
Ordering Items To Consult
Once you have a reference number for an item that you wish to consult you can order it to be brought from our strongrooms to consult in our searchrooms. At Woodhorn there is no need to pre-order documents – they will be produced within 15 minutes of placing an order. It is essential to pre-order any documents held at Berwick Record Office as these are stored offsite.
You can order a document at Woodhorn by completing a production slip – these are to be found on each desk in the searchroom. You should record the reference number of the document, a brief description of it, your name, the number of your table and the date. The completed slip should be given to a member of staff at the reception desk who will then bring the document from the strongrooms to your desk. You can order up to three documents at a time and view as many documents as you wish during the course of your visit.
Give it a go
Choose an item from the online catalogue. Make note of the information that you would need to fill out the production slip.
Answer goes here.
Answer 1
Answer 2
Answer 3
Answer 1
Answer 2
Answer 3
Local Studies Library
Local libraries in Northumberland (including Hexham) hold some Local Studies stock – printed books and other material about the history of Northumberland. This is worth consulting as part of your research.
Northumberland County Council’s collection of Local Studies stock is held at Woodhorn. Copies of any volume in the collection can be consulted in our searchroom there. You can request access to any volume by ordering it in our searchroom. It may be useful to consult the Northumberland Libraries catalogue in advance of your visit. This can be accessed here [Home | Northumberland Libraries (spydus.co.uk)].
The catalogue records where library stock is held. Items marked WOODHORN can be viewed in our searchroom.
Requesting Copies
We can provide digital copies of most records in our care. Details of our reprographic service and charges are provided here (Copying and Design – Northumberland Archives). To place a copy order you should complete an order form. Digital copies of forms can be found here (Order Forms & Price List – Northumberland Archives). Paper copies are available in our searchrooms. If you wish to publish an item in our care there is a procedure for this. Please ask staff who will be able to advise.
Locating Other Archive Services
This link provides contact information for other Archive Services in England and Wales – Find an archive | The National Archives