These are room by room inventories of the possessions of a person who had died, often made by a group of their friends. There are a few from the Tudor period but most are from the Stuart period.
They give a vivid idea of how rooms were furnished and, as many people worked as well as lived in their houses, you can find out what tools were used by a particular tradesmen, what ingredients went into beer, or what animals were being kept by a farmer.
In an archive repository. The originals can be difficult to read. Ask if there are printed transcriptions.
See also the section on Find Sources
Follow any of the links below for more information on basic sources and ideas on how to use them
Studying Your Locality : Historic Maps : Trade Directories : Newspapers and Magazines : Government Commissions and Reports : Photographs : Census : Official Guides : Estate Agent Records : Plans : Taxes and Rating Records : Church Registers