Would you like to meet some earlier inhabitants of your town or village in the documents they left behind? Would you like to find out more about the wealth of records at Northamptonshire Archives and meet others with similar interests?
Our series of workshops is continuing in Autumn 2026. All will take place at the Society’s Library in the building we share with Northamptonshire Archives at Wootton Hall Park, Northampton, NN4 8BQ.
Numbers are limited, so please do book your place by sending an email to
The format is:
10.00 am - Meet at the Record Society library for an introduction and explanation
11.00 am - Coffee and biscuits
11.15 am - Original documents on display and available, with help, in the search room
Saturday 3rd October 2026
Deborah Hayter on 18th-century Poor Law and Settlement Records:
In the 17th century, each parish was responsible for its own poor and raising the funds to support them. The pressures on the system grew through the 18th century as the population became more mobile, which produced a raft of fascinating documentation as officials tried to work out who belonged to which parish. Lots of documents to look at in the archives.
Deborah Hayter has a MA from the University of Leicester and has taught courses in Local and Landscape History for Oxford University for the last 20 years.
Saturday 7rd November 2026
Dr. Wendy Raybould on Probate Inventories:
Understanding how domestic spaces were arranged in pre-enclosure Northamptonshire homes can lend insights into later alterations and developments. Probate inventories offer a unique snapshot of the rooms, furnishings and equipment that a 17th- or 18th-century small farmer, craftsman or businessman (or woman) might have owned at their death and how those things were valued. In this workshop a variety of inventories will be used, in transcription or copies of originals, to demonstrate the value of these sources in reconstructing floor plans and the details of daily life.
Wendy Raybould has an MA in English Local History and a PhD in Industrial Archaeology, both from Leicester. She has taught many local history adult education classes in the county.
Saturday 5th December 2026
Deborah Hayter on Helping historians to read 17th century documents:
Many local historians feel frustrated when faced with difficult writing in what are obviously fascinating documents. One session is not long enough to cover everything but we will aim to give you some clues and pointers to make it easier to read and understand original sources. In the 17th century, handwriting begins to be more recognizable to the modern eye so that is a good place to start.
Cost of each event - £10 per person.
Venue - The Northamptonshire Record Society library is within the Archives Service building, Wootton Hall Park, Northampton, NN4 8BQ.
How to book - Please send an email to