North East History Resources

A list of research resources, archives, organisations, societies and libraries associated with the history, heritage and culture of North East England.

Nathaniel Buck's view of Newcastle 1745 — Detail from Nathaniel Buck’s view of Newcastle 1745.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Research centres and libraries may be closed or have restrictions associated with the Covid-19 pandemic.

ARCHIVES, LIBRARIES, SOCIETIES AND ONLINE RESOURCES

England’s North East History Site

Use our North East history map with its accompanying links to find out about the general history of any selected area of the North East.

Beamish Learning and Activity Resources

Beamish Museum Learning and Activity Resources. Find out more from the Beamish Museum website.

Newcastle City Libraries

Visit the Newcastle City Libraries Local Studies and Family History website for more details of the extensive available resources.

North East Community Archives and Heritage Groups

Here’s a site with an excellent list of links to Community Archives and Heritage Groups across the North East of England.

The Surtees Society

The Surtees Society is ‘dedicated to the publication of manuscripts illustrative of the history of the ancient kingdom of Northumbria, principally of County Durham and Northumberland in North East England.’

The Lit and Phil Library

The beautiful library of the Literary and Philosophical Society of Newcastle upon Tyne established in 1825 in Westgate Road is only a stone’s throw from the Central Station. Past members have included some of the region’s most esteemed industrialists and inventors.

Woodhorn Museum and Archives. Photo © David Simpson 2018

Northumberland Archives

Based at Woodhorn and at Berwick upon Tweed. Details at the Northumberland Archives website including a link to the Northumberland Archives online catalogue.

Durham County Record Office.

Details of the extensive resources are available through the Durham County Record Office website. Archive service covering County Durham and the Borough of Darlington.

Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums

Find out more about the Tyne and Wear archives, publications and special projects. Also see the home page of Tyne and Wear Museums ‘TWAM’. Venues are: The Discovery Museum; Great North Museum; Hatton Gallery; Laing Gallery (all Newcastle); Segedunum Roman Fort, Wallsend; Arbeia Roman Fort, South Shields; South Shields Museum & Art Gallery; Shipley Art Gallery, Gateshead and The Stephenson Steam Railway, North Tyneside.

Teesside Archives

A link to the Teesside Archives through the Middlesbrough Borough Council web page.

The National Archives

A link to the National Archives online discovery searchable database of records.

HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY RESOURCES

Keys to the Past

The Keys to the Past Historic Environment Record website has an extensive database of archaeological sites across Northumberland and Durham coupled with concise local histories of localities across the two counties.

Sitelines (Tyne and Wear Historic Environment Record)

Sitelines is an excellent source of information on archaeological sites and the records of historical development of places in the Tyne and Wear area.

Historic Environment Research Framework for the North East

Historic Environment Research Framework for the North East

Historic England Historic Environment Record

Extensive, official geographical and highly detailed record of historic sites and features across England from Historic England

Heritage Gateway

Search for information on England’s historic sites and buildings, including images of listed buildings, cross-searches over 60 resources. Heritage Gateway

North East History Tour

Historian Mick Southwick’s North East History Tour extensively explores the history of places and localities from just about every corner of the North East region.

North East Heritage Library

A new, independent online community driven online site exploring North East heritage northeastheritagelibrary.co.uk

East Durham Heritage Group : www.eastdurhamheritagegroup.co.uk

Durham Cathedral viewed from Gilesgate. Photo: © David Simpson

NORTH EAST FAMILY HISTORY

Northumberland and Durham Family History Society

Founded in 1975 and based in Newcastle upon Tyne the society has centres throughout the region. Benefits of membership include free access to certain online records. For more details visit the Northumberland and Durham Family History Society website.

Durham and Northumberland Probate Records

Durham and Northumberland Probate Records 1527-1587. From Durham University Library’s North East Inheritance project.

NORTH EAST ENGLAND UNIVERSITY SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

Durham University Special Collections

Palace Green Library Archives and Special Collections (by appointment) details here. Site includes links to a catalogue of the university’s printed manuscripts and physical collections (https://discover.durham.ac.uk/) and a catalogue of archives and manuscripts: http://reed.dur.ac.uk/xtf/search

Newcastle University Special Collections

An online resource for searching the special collections and archives of Newcastle University here: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/library/special-collections//

Woodhorn Colliery museum, near Ashington. Photo © David Simpson 2018

NORTH EAST MINING, ENGINEERING AND LABOUR HISTORY

Durham Miners’ Museum

Online Durham Mining Museum with enormous collection of details on hundreds of collieries and other mines across historic Durham and Northumberland. Includes detailed lists of collieries with information on colliery ownerships, maps, dates of boring and colliery openings and detailed lists of fatalities associated with each mine.

North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers

Founded in 1852. Details of the benefit of membership can be found on the Mining Institute’s website.

Durham Miners’ Union

The official site of the Durham Miners’ Union based at Redhills in the City of Durham.

North East Labour History

The North East Labour History Society, founded in 1967, is Britain’s oldest regional labour history society.

NORTH EAST REGIMENTS

Durham Light Infantry

A link to the Durham Light Infantry records at Durham Records Office. Records transferred from the former Durham Light Infantry Museum.

Northumberland Fusiliers

Online research and information resource for the county regiment first raised in 1674. Northumberland Fusiliers Museum web link.

Tyneside Irish Brigade Association

The website of the Tyneside Irish Brigade Association

CASTLES AND FORTIFICATIONS

Gatehouse Gazetteer: a comprehensive county by county national gazetteer of castles, peles, bastles and other fortifications www.gatehouse-gazetteer.info/home.html

BOOKS

North East Books

See our extensive list of North East books featuring the history and topography of North East England.

NORTH EAST MAPS

NLS Ordnance Survey Maps

National Library of Scotland side-by-side comparisons of modern and historic maps covering all Britain.

Alan Godfrey Maps

Online shop for The Godfrey Edition Maps. Inexpensive reprints of historic Ordnance Survey maps. Based in the North East, Alan Godfrey publishes historic maps covering the length and breadth of Britain.

Tangled Worm Map Prints

Online shop Tangled Worm Northern heritage maps: Viking Northumbria, North East Collieries, Border Reivers, Worm Legends, Roman North etc.

NORTH EAST MUSIC, LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

Northumbrian Language Society

The Northumbrian Language Society publishes, promotes, preserves and researches on the dialects of Northumberland, Tyneside and North West Durham.

Folkworks

Part of Sage Gateshead, Folkworks was established in 1988 to promote the folk music of the North East with a programme of workshops, gigs and festivals.