Lancashire Record Office

Lancashire Record Office collects and preserves documents relating to the history of Lancashire, these documents being held in environmentally controlled strong rooms.

These resources date back some 900 years and include business and society records, church records, family papers, local government archives, and maps and plans.

Resources also include books and periodicals, newspapers, school records, documents, organisational records, manuscripts and photographs.  

Collections include details of Lancashire police officers who served between 1840 and 1925 in Lancashire County Constabulary, and sound recordings previously held at North West Sound Archive.

The Office makes these resources freely available to the public.

Whatever your research interest, whether you wish to research your family history, conduct research for a school, college or university assignment, trace the history of a house or study local history, you will find the documents held of use.

The knowledgeable and helpful staff are always happy to offer advice and assistance regarding the documents held and to help you choose the resources most relevant to your research.

Information about Lancashire Record Office

Collections

For information regarding their collections, please visit their Home Page and their collections page, which offers access to their Church Registers guide which gives details of Anglican, non-conformist and Roman Catholic Church Registers held.  

It is also possible to discover more information regarding Lancashire police officers who served with the Lancashire County Constabulary between 1840 and 1925.  

Over 27000 local history publications held by the Archive are list in the Lancashire Library Catalogue.

You are also able to search their collections using LANCAT, their online catalogue. The catalogue contains details of their main collections which include:

• Local Government Records
• Manorial records for the manor of Colne 1660-1909
• Maps and Plans, including Tithe, Enclosure and Estate Plans
• Marriage bonds for the Archdeaconry of Richmond 1615, 1633-34, 1636, 1642, 1648-1854 and 1861
• Probate Records of Chester and Richmond Archdeaconries
• School Records
• Tithe records 1839-1852
• Whitingham reception orders 1873-1915
• Wills and other probate documents

Some other collections are also held by the Office, including:

• Culshaw Papers 1824-1960
• Kenyon of Peel 1319-1960: a family collection
• Lancashire Courts of Quarter Sessions
• Lancashire Football Association 1878-1965

They also have old maps of Lancashire, but do not have detailed maps of the counties of Greater Manchester and Merseyside formed in 1974.

The North West Sound Archive is administered by Lancashire Archives, and contains holdings relating to the region’s oral history.

Opening Hours

For opening hours please visit the Office’s opening times page.

Location and Directions

Although parking is available, including some disabled spaces, this is limited, so you may prefer to use the Park and Ride Service.  The buses stop near Preston railway station. The railway station is approximately 5 minutes walk from the Office, there being pedestrian direction signs from the station.  

Buses stop near the railway station or Preston bus station, which is approximately 15 minutes walk from the Archive.  If you go down Fishergate Hill, taking the first road on the right, Bow Lane, and continue to Arthur Street, the office is to your right.

Booking

You do not need to book in advance to visit the Office.

Photography and Photocopying

You are able to take your own photographs of documents but this will be under the supervision of staff.  Some documents cannot be photographed because they are fragile and easily damaged, and/or because of copyright laws.  The Office makes a charge to people using this service.  

On payment of a fee, it is possible to order a copy of a document they hold, but you will need to know the document reference.  Some documents cannot be copied because of copyright laws and/or because it may harm the document concerned.  

You will need to complete a copyright declaration form if you take advantage of this service. 

Research Service

If you are unable to visit in person, the Office offers a research service where, for a fee, they can conduct research on your behalf.  The Office is able to undertake research in closed records that are not usually open to the public.  

If you do not wish to use the research service provided by the Office, they give details of local researchers.  For a fee, these agents are willing to undertake research on your behalf. 

Group Tours

If your organisation or group wishes to know more about the Office, tours for between 12 and 25 people can be arranged.  During this tour, you will be able to find out how the service is run and see behind the scenes. 

The visit includes a tour of some of the building, showing of original documents, and an introductory talk.  It may also be possible to tour the strongroom, where many resources are held.

If you wish to book a tour, it must be made many months in advance.  They are only able to accept enquiries from educational or community groups.

Twitter Account

The Office is on Twitter at @lanchistory.  Using this account, the Office gives details of events held at the Office, details of their collections and family history, history and local history related news.

Readers’ Tickets

Lancashire Archives accepts the Archives Card

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For details regarding other Record Offices in Lancashire, please visit my pages regarding Barrow Archive and Local Studies Centre and Greater Manchester Archives.