What is local history and where can we find it?
The United Kingdom is rich in history and there are many clues into the past in our local areas (somewhere close to where you live).
Knowing where to look to is helpful in learning and finding out more about history.
Being historically curious about your local area will help you to find out more about events, people and time periods in your locality.
Remember: If you do explore your local history, make sure you go with a trusted adult.
Important words
Important words on local history.
| Keyword | Definition |
|---|---|
| Artefacts | An object made or used by people long ago that helps us learn about how they lived. |
| Curator | A keeper of a museum or collection. |
| Local area | A geographical area close to where you live. |
| Significant | Someone or something of importance or meaning. |
Watch: What is local history?
Learn about what local history is with the History Clue Crew.
Holly: History Clue Crew. Your mission is to find out ‘What is local history and where can we find it.’
Stephanie: On it Archivist.
Darcey: Ready to investigate.
Ashton: Copy that.
Holly: Good luck HCC.
Ashton: I'm in Canterbury, South East England, and I think I've just found my first history clue.
This is a statue of someone called Aphra Behn.
Look, it says the playwright, poet, and spy. 1640 to 1689.
She was born here in this local town and was the first ever woman to be a professional writer in the English language. Hang on though. This statue was really new.
Why has it only been put here if she died over 300 years ago?
How did she become a spy? Who was she spying on? I'll head to the library to find out more about all of this.
Darcey: I think I found my first piece of local history here.
Hounslow is a place of different people from different backgrounds, so I bet there's plenty of history.
This plaque says Bell Square, a busy coach road that went from London to Exeter. For 150 years, people paid tolls for the road and then they removed them in 1872.
It also says that the Heath was popular with robbers and highwaymen. I want to find out more about the past here. Why is this place so popular with highway robbers?
I think we'll head to the Heath to see what we can find out about its gory history.
Stephanie: I've been walking on the streets here in Nantwich, North West England, looking out for clues.
The black and white style on this Tudor house could be a clue, although The Archivist always says to question every source because even though it looks like it’s Tudor, it could be mock Tudor.
Oh look, there's a plaque. It says Queen's Aid House, rebuilt after the great fire of 1583 by Thos Cleese. I wonder who Thos Cleese is and who made this plaque and why?
Let's find more clues and work it out.
I'm trying to find out more about the fire that happened here in Nantwich. Do you know how the fire started?
Kathryn: I believe the fire started by accident, by a local brewer. And if you'd like to find out more information about the fire and how it spread, you can visit the local museum.
Stephanie: I'm heading over to the Museum to see if I can back up the shopkeeper's information by doing some more investigating and research.
I still need to find out how the town was destroyed.
Ashton: I found out loads more information about who Aphra Behn was.
I even found a website about her. I made sure the website was trustworthy. Asking questions about who made it, why, and what they want you to think.
People recently campaigned to have a statue of her in Canterbury because of how important she was in their local history.
Darcey: I've come to the Heath to see what it looks like now.
I can't believe that this was a place where crimes took place.
Bell Junction was dangerous 150 years ago, but I want to see if there's sources that can show me evidence. I'm going to check the local archive at the Gunnersbury Museum.
Stephanie: Mystery solved. I found out more information about the fire through looking at different sources and talking to a volunteer. Oh, call incoming.
Holly: Right crew. What have you learned?
Darcey: Local history can help us answer historical questions like, what was this place 150 years ago?
Stephanie: We know about the Great Fire of Nantwich from clues left on local maps, reports, and even legends.
Ashton: I discovered loads of information about the local spy and writer, Aphra Behn.
Holly: That's right, Clue Crew. It's about looking for all of those clues around us in order to help form a window into the past.
So why not get out there into your local area, find those clues and bring them together to form a glimpse into the historical past where you live? Until next time, Clue Crew. Out.
How could a museum help me to find out more about my local area?
Museums allow us to engage in our past, there are often collections of art, statues and artefacts (objects made or used by people long ago that helps us learn about how they lived) that have historical significance (someone or something of importance or meaning).
Some collections in museums will be very old, other pieces, like those within living memory, will be newer.
It is important to historically question evidence, knowing who made the evidence or how it was found can tell us important things too. However, we may not always know the full history of an artefact.
Curators (a keeper of a museum or collection), historians and volunteers who work in museums often have to piece information together and can help explain more about objects in the museum and about your local area's history.
History is ever evolving and by piecing information together, we gain a much better understanding of where we have come from and the events in our local area.
What do street names and design teach us about a local area?
Street names offer us an insight into the past of town or city.
They often commemorate significant people or are named after places of interest such as markets, churches and other landmarks.
They might show us how things have changed and stayed the same in a local area. For example, is the type of business a road is named after still there?
The design and layout of a town helps us to better understand how industry, culture and historical events have impacted an area.
Why are many museums free to enter?
Many museums are free for people to visit.
They are funded by the government and donations made by the public.
Museums help people to learn about the past.
When museums cost money to enter, this can make it harder for people to learn about the history and significance of where they live.
Think like a historian
Have a look at the thinking points below and think about your answer to each question. You could even write them down on a piece of paper or discuss them with somebody else if you want to.
What clues could you find in your local area to find more about the past from where you live?
How could you use evidence to tell you about the past in your local area?
How do curators in museums attempt to avoid bias (supporting something in an unfair way) in the collections displayed?
Did you think about buildings like museums and libraries that have records from your local area? Visit a local museum to gain more knowledge and information on the significant events, people and timeline of how your local area has changed through time. You also might find clues in the street, like plaques, statues and street names.
Did you think about how people make plaques and statues to help remember the important people who lived nearby? You might also have thought about how many clues help make a clearer story than just looking at one thing. Use street names, maps and landmarks in your area to build a better understanding of how your local history developed and changed.
Did you think about how historians look at more than one piece of evidence to learn about the past? Curators and historians attempt to avoid bias by making sure that there is greater diversity shown in museums. Different people might have different opinions about something, and seeing many opinions together can help us see the full picture. One way to do this is with multicultural representation, which means showing something from the point of view of many different cultures.
Activities
Activity: Quiz
Grown-ups corner
Are you a parent, carer or teacher?
Take a look at some of the links below on KS2 History which are packed full of knowledge, videos, quizzes and activities.
KS2 History: Black British Stories
BBC Bitesize for Teachers
KS2 History: British Asian History
BBC Bitesize for Teachers
The Romans – History Live Lesson
BBC Bitesize for Teachers
Horrible Histories: Raid and Trade game! game
Play Horrible Histories: Raid and Trade KS2 History
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