In the VicroRiA Hisiory each county is not the labour of one or two men, but of many, 

 for the work is treated scientifically, and in order to embody in it all that modern scholarship 

 can contribute, a system of co-operation between experts and local students is applied, whereby 

 the history acquires a completeness and definite authority hitherto lacking in similar under- 

 takings. 



The names of the distinguished men who have joined the Ad^■isory Council are a guarantee 

 that the work represents the results of the latest discoveries in every department of research, 

 for the trend of modern thought insists upon the intelligent study of the past and of the social, 

 institutional, and political developments of national life. As these histories are the first in 

 which this object has been kept in view, and modern principles applied, it is hoped that they 

 will form a work of reference no less indispensable to the student than welcome to the man of 

 culture. 



THE SCOPE OF THE WORK 



The history of each county is complete in itself, and in each case its story is told from the 

 earliest times, commencing with the natural features and the flora and fauna. Thereafter 

 follow the antiquities, pre-Roman, Roman, and post-Roman ; ancient earthworks ; a new 

 translation and critical study of the Domesday Survey ; articles on political, ecclesiastical, social, 

 and economic history ; architecture, arts, industries, sport, etc. ; and topography. The greater 

 part of each history is devoted to a detailed description and history of each parish, containing 

 an account of the land and its owners from the Conquest to the present day. These manorial 

 histories are compiled from original documents in the national collections and from private 

 papers. A special feature is the wealth of illustrations afforded, for not only are buildings of 

 interest pictured, but the coats of arms of past and present landowners are given. 



HISTORICAL RESEARCH 



It has always been, and still is, a reproach that England with a collection of public records 

 greatly exceeding in extent and interest those of any other country in Europe, is yet far behind 

 her neighbours In the study of the genesis and growth of her national and local institutions. 

 Few Englishmen are probably aware that the national and local archives contain for a period 

 of 800 years in an almost unbroken chain of evidence, not only the political, ecclesiastical, 

 and constitutional history of the kingdom, but every detail of its financial and social progress 

 and the history of the land and its successive owners from generation to generation. The 

 neglect of our public and local records is no doubt largely due to the fact that their interest 

 and value is known to but a small number of people, and this again is directly attributable 

 to the absence in this country of any endowment for historical research. The government of 

 this country has too often left to private enterprise work which our continental neighbours 

 entrust to a government department. It is not surprising, therefore, to find that although 

 an immense amount of work has been done by individual effort, the entire absence of organization 

 among the workers and the lack of intelligent direction has hitherto robbed the results of much 

 of their value. 



In the Victoria History, for the first time, a serious attempt is made to utilize our national 

 and local muniments to the best advantage by carefully organizing and supervizing the researches 

 required. Under the direction of the Records Committee a large staff of experts has been 

 engaged at the Public Record Office in calendaring those classes of records which are fruitful 

 in material for local history, and by a system of interchange of communication among workers 

 under the direct supervision of the general editor and sub-editors a mass of information is 

 sorted and assigned to its correct place, which would otherwise be impossible. 



THE RECORDS COMMITTEE 



Sir Edward Maunde Thompson, K.C.B. C. T. Martin, B.A., F.S..\. 

 Sir Henry M.\xwell-Lyte, K.C.B. J. Hor.\ce Round, M..A., LL.D. 



W. J. Hardy, F.S.A. S. R. Scarcill-Bird, F.S.A. 



F. Madan, M.A. W. H. Stevenson, M.A. 



G. F. Warner, M.A., F.S.A. 



