In early February 2009, I found myself heading to Cheshire Archives and Local Studies to take a look at an item in the collections there. Just a few days earlier, I’d been working my way through an online catalogue in search of early modern (i.e., sixteenth and seventeenth century) literary manuscripts, when I’d come across a reference which seemed intriguing, to say the least. I wasn’t at all sure that the trip was going to be worth it – the catalogue description wasn’t detailed enough for me to be sure that it was at all relevant. Still, worth a train fare, anyway.

The catalogue in question is Access to Archives, which contains listings for collections of papers held in record offices throughout England and Wales. It’s a brilliant resource – not just because of the sheer volume and scope of the records it lists, but also because it allows you to get a good overview of individual collections once you’ve come across items within them that seem interesting. Continue reading →