Buildings
Maps
When tracing the history of a building, maps are one of the fundamental sources that should be consulted at an early stage of research. For further information on a wide variety of different types of historic maps see the landscape section of this guide.
County Buildings, Stafford
Staffordshire County Council was formed in 1889. Six years later, in 1895, the Council's new headquarters, County Buildings, opened for business. County Buildings contains both grand meeting rooms such as the Council Chamber and administrative offices, all of which are still in use today. They are opened for tours each year for Heritage Open Day.
Building Control Plans
Building control plans of local authorities are a good source of information for house or local historians, especially those investigating a specific building. Although planning applications date back many centuries, it is mostly the records dating from the late 19th and 20th centuries that survive.
Church Buildings
Church buildings are often the oldest, largest or most interesting structures in many areas, especially in smaller communities. They have served as a focal point for community life in centuries past and the history of a locality can be recorded through a variety of monuments, inscriptions and other commemorative features.
Conservation Photographs
The Archaeological and Historic Buildings Photographic Survey is a useful visual source of evidence for local buildings of historical significance, some of which have since been altered or demolished. In some cases, they may be the only photographic evidence of buildings or sites now vanished.
Staffordshire Views
The Staffordshire Views are a unique series of mainly early 19th century watercolours, drawings, sketches, engravings and lithographs. The views include churches, public buildings, country houses and landscapes from all over Staffordshire.