Victoria County History (VCH)
History Network
Founded in 1899 and originally dedicated to Queen Victoria, the VCH is an encyclopaedic record of England's places and people from earliest times to the present day.
It is without doubt the greatest publishing project in English local history, having built an international reputation for scholarly standards.
Based at the Institute of Historical Research in the University of London since 1933, the VCH is written by historians working in counties across England.
Big Red Books
The famous VCH big red books, which cover all historical periods, are written county by county from original documents and fieldwork.
Introductory chapters include subjects ranging from archaeology to social and economic history, while topographical sections give a comprehensive account of each city, town and village.
With 14 county sets completed, most counties have at least one volume. More than 240 volumes have been published in total, providing an invaluable resource for everyone interested in local history.
VCH Online - Central websites
Click on the following links to consult VCH published online:
How do we set up our own County Trust?
If the VCH is not currently active in your county you may wish to set up a County Trust in order to get the ball rolling.
For information on how to do this, click on the following link: How to set up a County Trust