Lincolnshire Archives

About the Lincolnshire Archives

We provide access to resources that can be used to research history and culture in Lincolnshire.

You can use our search room to consult:

  • original archives
  • microfilm resources
  • library material relating to the county

We hold records from the former Lindsey, Kesteven and Holland county councils. We also hold records from Lincoln Diocesan Record Office.

We have collections of national and international significance, such as the Bishops Rolls and Registers. These date from 1214 and form the core historical records of the diocese of Lincoln.

Our search room is open from 10am to 4pm, Tuesday to Friday and the first Saturday of each month. Saturday openings may change due to Bank Holidays.

Our car park is temporarily closed due to essential works happening at the site.

Alternative car parking can be found at the NCP or Broadgate car parks accessed via St Rumbold Street.

View Lincolnshire Archives online catalogue

What you can find in the archives

Primary sources include:

  • ecclesiastical archives and parish records (Church of England), including:
    • registers of baptisms
    • marriages and burials
    • Banns Books
    • Overseer of the Poor records
    • Bishops' transcripts
    • tithe and enclosure
  • non-conformist records (for example, Methodist, Quaker etc)
  • Poor Law Union, or workhouse, records
  • electoral registers
  • wills and administrations
  • Lincolnshire Estate records
  • public records, including manorial and court records
  • local authority records, including parish councils and school records
  • drainage and court sewer records
  • asylum hospital records

Secondary sources and indexes include:

  • Foster library, including county directories, historical journals and parish histories
  • Census records
  • birth, marriage or death records
  • Lincolnshire Family History Society indexes

View Lincolnshire Archives online catalogue

Book archive resources

We recommend that you book our search room in advance.

You can order up to six documents in advance of your visit. You must provide us with the full reference for each document. You can find these on our online catalogue.  There are two document collections per day (one per Saturday). These take place at 11am and 12.30pm. You can order up to four documents per collection. Documents ordered on the day will be provided by 12.30pm (first collection) and 2pm (second collection). The Saturday collection will be taken at 11am and documents will be provided by 12.30pm.

Our search room is open from 10am to 4pm, Tuesday to Friday and the first Saturday of each month.  Saturday openings may change due to Bank Holidays. 

Document requests must be submitted in advance by 2pm the previous working day. For Tuesday visits, advance document requests should be submitted by 2pm the previous Friday.

To enter the search room you need a Lincolnshire Archives Readers' Ticket.

You can get one of these on arrival by bringing with you some identification showing your address and signature.

The ticket is valid for four years.

To book a table within the search room and order up to a maximum of six documents in advance email archive.bookings@lincolnshire.gov.uk.

You will need to include within your email:

  • your name
  • date of visit
  • estimated time of arrival
  • contact telephone number

You can also call 01522 782040 and ask to speak to the search room staff.

Inside the search room

You may take notepads smaller than A4, pencils, sheets of paper, glasses, maps, charts and reference books.

You are not allowed to take pens, bags, coats, folders, files or plastic wallets.

Lockers are provided for belongings and phones must be put on silent.

Accessibility

Our facilities include:

  • a fully accessible search room
  • a bookable height adjustable table
  • magnifying glasses
  • an induction-hearing loop at reception
  • an accessible toilet
  • assistance dogs permitted in all areas of the search room

Your visit

Please do not visit if you display any COVID symptoms.

Hand sanitiser and hand washing facilities are available.

Fees and charges

Our staff reply to general enquiries about the archives and library material free of charge.

There is no charge for using the search room resources other than the self-service microfiche and computer print-outs.

Museum collection and archives enquiries and research

  • Search of catalogues, registers and indexes: £18 per hour (maximum one hour)
  • Research enquiry (basic - single source): £18 per hour (maximum one hour)
  • Research enquiry (detailed): £36
  • Research enquiry (complex): £45
  • Access to stored collections or assisted research: £36-£196
  • Advice and guidance (third party): £65.50 per hour (plus mileage at 45p per mile)

Reprographics and copying services

  • Self service microfiche print-outs (A4, black and white): £1.10 per sheet
  • Camera pass (use of own camera): £11.90 per day or £115.50 per year
  • Provision of Baptism certificates: £16
  • Certification or copies: £11.90
  • Supply: Collection in person – free, posted – POA

Digital photography orders (staff facilitated)

These charges apply to our normal response time of completing orders within 28 days.

Where we receive a request for a rush order, prices are three times standard charge, subject to the availability of staff.

  • Minimum order (applies to all orders): £5.70
  • Copy of existing digital image: £3
  • Creation of a new digital image: £6.20 per document, plus £6.70 per shot for documents up to A2 or £9.30 per shot over A2. Oversize documents POA.
  • Supply of digital images: £4.50 email order, £10 for CD

Paper Prints (staff facilitated)

These charges apply to our normal response time of completing orders within 28 days.

Where we receive a request for a rush order, prices are three times standard charge, subject to the availability of staff.

  • Minimum order (applies to all orders): £5.70
  • Photocopy - black and white: £6.20 handling charge per document plus £1.60 per page for A4 or £2.10 per page for A3
  • Creation of a copy- colour: £6.20 per document plus £2.10 per page for A4 or £2.60 per page for A3
  • Supply of printed images: Free during opening hours

Publications and reproductions

Books, e-books and CDs (per image, per use)

  • Non-profit local publications (Lincolnshire) up to 1,000 copies: Inner page £22.20, cover £55.10
  • Non-profit local publications (Lincolnshire) over 1,000 copies: Inner page £44.30, cover £109.20
  • Publications up to 1,000 copies: Inner page £55.10, cover £136.50
  • Publications over 1,000 copies: Inner page £109.20, cover £273

Newspapers/magazines (per image, per use)

  • Lincolnshire publications: Inner page £40.20, cover £98
  • National/international publications: Inner page £55.10, cover £136.50

Commercial posters/advertising/merchandise (per image, per use): £273.50

Websites

Educational websites (not for profit): £32.50

Commercial websites: £70

Broadcasting (per image, per use)

Regional broadcast (1 transmission) £80 single country broadcast (1 transmission) £109.50

World broadcast (1 transmission) £160 five-year use/multiple transmission £328

Displays and exhibitions (up to A3 size) (per image, per use)

Free entry (non-profit) exhibitions: £21.10 temporary, £42.20 permanent

Commercial (charged entry) exhibitions: £63.50 temporary, £127.50 permanent

Unpublished use (per image, per use)

  • Educational use in classroom only: Free
  • Personal use (without publication): Free
  • Use in official report or survey: £16.50
  • Lincolnshire County Council reproduction of images: Free for internal use/ not for profit up to five images. POA on other requests.

Donations

We enrich our collections through:

  • donations
  • purchases
  • wider collecting of items of historical significance

The cost of caring for collections is high. We must collect our material carefully. This means that we are not able to accept everything offered to us.

We accept donations based upon our collections, priorities, legislation and policy.

If you would like to offer a donation, email lincolnshire.archives@lincolnshire.gov.uk.

We will not accept any material that:

  • does not have a Lincolnshire connection
  • has not been agreed by a collections officer in advance
  • arrives via unsolicited post

If we are unable to contact you, we will dispose of it


 

Free collections access days

We allow free access on monthly dates throughout the year to museum collection items across our heritage sites, and 'restricted access' documents at Lincolnshire Archives, unless the document is not publically accessible. 

You can book a one-hour appointment for up to two people.

During your visit, we will provide a member of staff to support you.

Free access dates

Our Managed Access to Collections Scheme will be reinstated from January 2022.

2022

  • Tuesday 18 January
  • Thursday 17 February
  • Tuesday 15 March
  • Thursday 14 April
  • Tuesday 17 May
  • Thursday 16 June
  • Tuesday 19 July
  • Thursday 18 August
  • Tuesday 20 September
  • Thursday 20 October
  • Tuesday 15 November
  • Thursday 15 December

2023

  • Tuesday 17 January
  • Thursday 16 February
  • Tuesday 14 March

Booking closes two weeks before each date.

If you book access outside of these dates, fees and charges will apply.

You will need to travel to the location where we hold your requested item. This could be at:

To book, email collections.access@lincolnshire.gov.uk.

What happens next?

If we can meet your request, we will send you a booking confirmation.

We will give you the venue details and a point of contact for your visit.

If we cannot meet your request, we will tell you why. Where appropriate, we will invite you to resubmit a request for an alternative date.