Research your town or village

Old maps, plans of houses and aerial photographs are just some of the resources available to help you learn more about your town and village. Much of the information can be found in archive centres, libraries, museums, universities and online.

The Kent Historic Environment Record

The best source of information about archaeological remains is the Kent Historic Environment Record.

The record contains information on more than 24,000 archaeological sites and discoveries and on nearly 18,000 listed buildings. It is available online and the Heritage Conservation Group can provide information in a format that is tailored to your research needs.

Visit the Historic Environment Record.

Archaeological reports

We maintain a collection of more than 5,000 archaeological reports relating to excavations and surveys carried out during the development control process in Kent since 1989.

These provide high-quality archaeological information on specific sites and are available for public consultation in Maidstone. To arrange access to these please make an appointment.

Aerial photographs

The Heritage Conservation team maintains Kent County Council's aerial photograph collection which can provide useful information on how the Kent landscape has changed over time.

Our earliest photographs date from the late 1940s, when many of the sites relating to the Second World War were still in place. These are particularly useful for researching Kent's military heritage.

To see them, please make an appointment with the Heritage Conservation Group.

Local history or archaeological societies

There is a wealth of information available through the local archaeology and historical societies. Many groups and members conduct their own research.

You will find an extensive resource of useful research materials, including an index of its periodical Archaeologia Cantiana, on the Kent Archaeological Society website.

Its members have access to an extensive library of specialist archaeological journals, reports and books in Maidstone Museum. In addition to archaeological information, you could consult historical records. The easiest start point for your historical research may be the work of previous researchers.

Parish and town histories can provide useful summaries of the knowledge that was available when they were written. They can give you clues about other materials or sources of information. The most comprehensive collection of these is maintained by the Kent Archives Service.

Many of their other resources are available on the Here's History Kent website.

Maps

The Centre for Kentish Studies maintains an extensive collection of maps, including Ordnance Survey maps dating back to the 19th century and other, even older maps.

There are also specialist maps that show aspects such as geology, land-use, wildlife habitats and aerial surveys. Visit the Centre for Kentish Studies website.

Illustrations

Illustrations can be a good source of information for local historians. Early prints and engravings, old and modern photographs, aerial photographs, postcards, slides and transparencies can help us understand how people in Kent lived in the past. They can often show aspects of life that maps and history books rarely examine.

Sales catalogues and directories

Commercial records can provide some of the best information on how towns and villages grew and prospered in the past.

Sales catalogues provide information on the sale of houses and land while directories show what kind of businesses existed in the past and where they were located.

Electoral registers and census documents

These can provide information on who was living and working in Kent in the past, and what their occupations were. The Kent Archives Service holds electoral registers for Kent.

Census information is held at the National Archives and at the Family Records Centre in Islington. These records can also be searched online.

Periodicals and journals

Specialist information on archaeology and local history can often be found in periodicals and journals, such as Archaeologia Cantiana, produced by the Kent Archaeological Society, or Bygone Kent.

There are many other sources of information held at the Kent Archives Service, that can help you understand the origins and history of the community where you live.

There are also catalogues for archives, held locally in England and Wales, containing documents dating from as far back as the eighth century to the present day.

Visit the Access to Archives website for more information.