Learning Zone

There is an abundance of local history material appearing on the World Wide Web. As well as professional sites produced by local authorities, archives and museums, many enthusiastic amateurs are also publishing material on the web including local history societies, family history societies, community groups and individuals.

Simply type the name of your village or neighbourhood into the search box on one of the search engines and see what comes up.

It is worth bearing in mind that the quality of research on some local sites may be variable but many of them will include a wealth of interesting material.

They may also feature legends, often passed down through generations of local people but whose origins are obscure.

• Pupils could be given the opportunity to research local legends to find out if there is any historical evidence for them or if they fall more into the 'urban myth' category
• Groups including local history societies may be prepared to answer questions from pupils or work with teachers
• Schools can use the web to publish their own research and some local sites invite contributions
• Most Local Authorities are developing an intranet or contributing to a local grid for learning that could be used to share research with other schools

Follow any of the links below for more information on finding sources

Find Sources : Archives and Local Studies :
English Heritage Education Service : National Monuments Record