Explore by time period

Select a time period

• Medieval (974–1485)

  

  Take a look at the oldest records in our collection, covering major events such as the Norman Conquest and the Wars of the Roses.

• Early modern (1485–1714)

  

  Delve into original material from the Tudor and Stuart eras and discover stories of treason, civil war and religious upheaval.

• Georgians (1714–1837)

  

  Get a sense of this age of political unrest and conflict – the time of the Napoleonic Wars and the transatlantic slave trade.

• Victorians (1837–1901)

  

  Discover records from a time of rapid change, when millions moved around the world and new tastes, fashions and inventions held sway.

• Early 20th century (1901–1918)

  

  Learn about design, technology, conflict and women's suffrage from the Edwardian era to the end of the First World War.

• Interwar (1918–1939)

  

  Explore life between the world wars, when the actions of radical changemakers pushed the boundaries of British society.

• Second World War (1939–1945)

  

  Get closer to stories from government, the home front and the armed forces through our extensive Second World War records.

• Postwar (1945–present)

  

  See our most recent documents and witness a nation rebuilding after the devastation of war, moving towards the country we know today.