Victoria County History for Dorset volume 2 (1908), sport section: 15 pages on hunting, half a page on polo and a page on falconry ... no mention of football, rugby or cricket ... #VCHDorset

A fascinating, if rather grim, read! You just never know what you might find in the #archives. #ExploreYourArchive

There's still time to book to join us on 15 May for @amalexathorn.bsky.social and what will be a fascinating insight into the ways history was researched and written by women in the early 20th century. 🗃️ #Skystorians

While researching the manorial descent of West Dean and East Grimstead (Wilts) I came across John Evelyn, an MP who served in five parliaments 1629-1660 ...

The recording of this event is now available on the @ihr.bsky.social website here www.history.ac.uk/podcasts/pla... This is a great watch for anyone interested in the possibilities of doing #place based #history research outside higher education institutions.

We are arms dealers to terrorists.

Unusual (self-taught or with very basic instruction?) hand. Notes attached to the head of an account roll, from Tarrant Gunville (Dorset), mid-14th century

Once again it's great to see the results of all your hard work @wiltshistory.bsky.social @historyrosalind.bsky.social @lrylandepton.bsky.social @markforrest.bsky.social #history #research #archives

Want to learn more about London's history this summer? Join us @ihrlibrary.bsky.social between 14 and 18 July for our fabulous Summer School featuring Jack Cade, Punk, the rebellious pasts of Bloomsbury and much, much, more. 🗃️

'Staff at English Heritage have been shocked to discover that the cash-strapped organisation is planning up to 200 redundancies and the winter closure of various...historic sites in its care. At least 7% of the workforce could be affected, with curators being particularly targeted, it is believed.'

'Work, Authenticity and Social Identity in #EarlyModern Britain' Submit an abstract by Feb 1st and come along to Warwick on June 10-11th.🗃️ Excited to be speaking alongside @markhailwood.bsky.social, @jwhittle.bsky.social and Steve Hindle! Details here: warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/his...

Sparrowhawk in the garden #winterwatch

East Grimstead inclosure map, 1818, showing the course of the Salisbury/Southampton canal as "the old canal"

This is the exciting paper drop. New aDNA science out of Dublin. Matrilineal descent systems demonstrated for Late Iron Age Dorset. Building on the work of Mel Giles (2012) who first spotted the potential for it in the archaeology of Middle Iron Age Yorkshire. www.nature.com/articles/s41...

In our latest blog, John Chandler with insights from local historians Lucy Whitfield and Chris Dallimore reflects on 'True Happiness' in Chippenham. www.wiltshirehistory.org/news/true-ha...

To buy a copy of Wem - and to support the work of VCH in Shropshire - www.vchshropshire.org/Wem.html or pop over to our friends @uolpress.bsky.social.

Our next Local History How-To session is on 'Ownership and Government' on 13th Jan with @markforrest.bsky.social, Francis Boorman, John Chandler, and @lrylandepton.bsky.social. It will feature a fun reenactment of a manor court. Check out wvch.squarespace.com/config/

My first blog post of 2025 concerns the families of the super-rich newspaper tycoons, the Viscounts Camrose and Kemsley, and their many houses, only one of which remains in their possession today: landedfamilies.blogspot.com/2025/01/594-...

Looking forward to talking about manors and manorial administration at the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre next Monday with @lrylandepton.bsky.social @johnhchandler.bsky.social and Francis Boorman wshc.org.uk/events/

Tonight is the night! For this year's Dymond lecture, we're joined by Professors @Medievalmariner and John McAleer, who will discuss English merchant shipping and early modern maritime communities. Find out more: ow.ly/j2Kb50SE3Pj #WeAreLocalHistory #LocalHistoryForAll

Looking forward to co-hosting the Working with Documents session tomorrow in the Local History Workshops series at the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre with colleagues from @wiltshistory.bsky.social wshc.org.uk/events/

Roof hares, Corfe Mullen, Dorset

Public service announcement that Charles Booth's 'Maps Descriptive of London Poverty, 1898-9' have been uploaded by LSE archive online to be viewed and reproduced freely. 🗃️ unsplash.com/collections/...

It seems that fussy silverfish don't like ink, so they graze around it and only eat the unprinted paper ...

File in which General Pitt-Rivers recommends the Roman-British quarry site at Pen Pits (with an over lying motte and bailey castle) should *not* be scheduled as an ancient monument

Floodplains at work by East Stoke. The banks of the Dorset Frome can be seen in a few places but most of the excess water is now moving across the floodplains and will return to the river downstream. Not uncommon at this time of year.

Ministry of Agriculture farm survey 1942. This farm downgraded from A to B due to 'personal failings' because the farmer 'lacks initiative' ... probably too soon to identify them in my text ...

History TV series proposal: When Transcripts Go Bad - transcripts that are far more difficult to read than the original documents

This little red symbol has been placed above the descriptions of all former demesne lands that had been incorporated into peasant tenements in 1518. Well done Glastonbury Abbey scribe!

Uncut pages come with such a weight of responsibility ... fear, excitement, self doubt, anticipation ...

If you're researching #witches or #witchcraft or just interested in the topic, then the latest edition of Sarum Chronicle is for you w/ excellent new research by @lrylandepton.bsky.social #history #archives sarumchronicle.wordpress.com/about/sarum-...

We strongly suggest that academic publishers and other platforms that host research rapidly implement a Share to Bluesky button for their articles. Here's how: docs.bsky.app/docs/advance... #AcademicSky #HigherEd #Altmetrics

Calling all archives and people who use archives: we are consulting on a new strategic vision and would love to hear your views: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/archives-sec...

This beaver tailed 'S' has a particularly fancy beehive (Monkton Up Wimborne, c.1290) #fashion

9750 white plants purchased for the garden at Kington St Michael c.1550 #medieval #tudor #gardening @wiltshistory.bsky.social

The Water Gate, St Clements Lane. Tucked away behind Hotel Du Vin is the only visible remains of Poole’s 15th century town wall. It’s believed this is the Water Gate which provided access from a merchant’s house through to the shoreline. #Poole #Dorset #LocalHistory

The Weymouth and Melcombe Regis war book, home front plans, instructions and schedules compiled during the Second World War, with leather patches and a corduroy cover!

No matter how long you work with archives the thrill of opening a box and finding documents that nobody's looked at for years never goes away ...

When selecting a heraldic animal you can't get much better than a rabbit

With my publishers hat on, I am super proud to have a first copy of this. It is a tour de force of academic local history. The result of years of research & lots of love. It will be out on 22/11 & on Hobnob website soon. #locslhistory #avebury