Though England has some of the most extensive historical records in the world, until now the expense and labour of collecting the material from scattered repositories made it impossible to publish the complete records relating to a well-documented parish. The use of computerised indexing and storage facilities together with direct reproduction on computer output microfiche have now made such a publication possible.

Earls Colne was chosen because it is the most fully documented village in England. The surviving records, almost all transcribed in full, include an especially good series of manorial records, account books, a diary and early 16th century map. Using these sources economic and social historians can watch a small microcosm of the nation living out their lives over the course of more than three centuries.

126 microfiche with index and printed guides

Guides (only supplied with microfiche)

Records of an English Village, Earls Colne 1400-1750: Church Records
Edited by A. Macfarlane 1980 68pp.

Records of an English Village, Earls Colne 1400-1750: Estate Records
Edited by A. Macfarlane 1981 66pp.

Records of an English Village, Earls Colne 1400-1750: State Records
Edited by A. Macfarlane 1981 65pp.

Records of an English Village, Earls Colne 1400-1750: Individuals Index