House History Tool – Online Research Guide
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Page 5 of 8
5. Parishes
It is very helpful when researching your Hidden House History to have an understanding of your local parish. A parish could be likened to the area covered by of the initial part of your postcode e.g. W12, TW2 or BS9.
In England parishes tend to correspond with villages, while in Scotland parishes tend to contain several small settlements.
Enter your postcode into the search engine at www.visionofbritain.org.uk. This should provide you with a wide range of information on your local area including the identity of your parish, the date of its establishment and its boundaries.
This site also provides you with very useful local historical material including: travellers’ tales; old maps with parish boundaries; housing; poverty rates; and industrial development.
HINT: Remember that parish boundaries might have changed over time. Try to investigate which parishes your house would have been in throughout its history.
HINT: Make a note of your parish, your results will be particularly useful for searching Ancestry.co.uk in your later on in the guide.
