PROCESS

The process involves researching and writing the history of a property and presenting the resulting material in an individually designed, hardback book - or as a large framed print. There is also the option of including professionally taken photographs (or commissioning a line drawing) of the house and garden for a visually rich presentation.

The books and printed/framed histories make unique gifts for Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries (yours or your property's) and retirements, and can be used as a marketing tool in the sale of your property.

RESEARCH

In our research we visit various local record offices as well as the National Archives to gather material about the building. For the vast majority of older buildings, irrespective of size, there will be a range of potential records available such as surveys, census returns, title deeds, electoral registers, tax records and wills etc. which can provide information about its owners and occupiers. Old large scale maps often survive which will show your house and it may feature in old photographs which we can incorporate into the history. 

We carry out an architectural assessment of the property in order to help identify when it was built and when changes may have been made, and these findings would be included within the history. It is also possible to incorporate existing material that you may have. Where possible we interview relevant people by telephone or in person if they are happy to participate. 

PHOTOGRAPHY

To capture the beauty as well as the history of your home, we offer the option of including professionally taken photographs of your house and garden which are then woven around the text. Any details or objects relating to the history of the house can also be photographed at this stage.

ADDITIONAL VISUAL MATERIAL

Scans of illustrations, maps, deeds, old photographs or illustrations and other relevant historical material such as fragments of wallpaper, handwritten letters and diary pages are also incorporated in the book. All scanned material is professionally retouched where necessary.

Apart from our folio copy, only one copy of each book is printed (although you may order as many extra copies as you wish). All our books are original commissions: we do not sell to the general public unless you would like us to.