An overview of the collections
A synopsis is offered below outlining the nature and scale of the collections. Please contact the Archive for further details and clarification.
- Census returns for Bowland Forest, Slaidburn, Newton and Easington, 1841-1911;
- Translations of Slaidburn Manor Court Rolls (1703-1733) by Chris Spencer;
- Various local wills donated and purchased;
- Farm Books for each of the over 160 farms within the Hodder Valley containing historical and modern photographs, ownership details, field maps, tithe information, 1942 farm survey information, sales particulars etc;
- Newsprint for various Bowland villages;
- Collections of wedding and burial cards;
- Land transfer documents, probates and wills;
- Information on rural crafts and farming practices;
- Architectural histories for notable buildings in the area;
- Records and information on local historical families such as the Wigglesworths and King Wilkinsons, major landowners for 400 years;
An eighteenth century map acquired by the Archive illustrating a turf-cutting dispute between Grindleton and Harrop.
- Information on local schools, including school log books;
- Information on churches and chapels in Slaidburn, Tosside, Newton, Dunsop Bridge, Whitewell and other villages;
- Local Quaker families;
- Histories of specific farming practices including lime-burning, sheep-washing etc;
- Information on local men who served in WW1 and WW2, and the fallen of both wars;
- Copies of church and chapel registers (births, marriages and deaths) from 1600-1970;
- Church magazines from 1897;
- A large collection of books on local topics, including those by Bill Mitchell on Dalehead;
- A collection of historical local maps including the construction of Stocks Reservoir, and copies made by the Fylde Water Board of tithe maps;
- Estate sales particulars;
Part of a WW1 commemoration display, St Andrew's Church.
- History and photographs of Slaidburn Silver Band;
- Permanent exhibitions on Dalehead, post-boxes, lime-kilns, May Queens and the Hodder Valley Show;
- Donated family histories;
- Hodder Valley Show programmes, photographs and information, 1864 to date
- Slaidburn Womens' Institute, 1944 to date;
- Several thousand photographs, old and modern, of places, people and events;
- Dalehead and the construction of Stocks Reservoir;
- Photographs and a history of the annual May Queen event;
- Material relating to Young Farmers' Clubs;
- The Lordship of Bowland;
- Newton United Reform Chapel material;
- Blackburn Water Works and Preston Water Works Company documents.
Stocks in Bowland c. 1900, now under the reservoir.