History

HISTORY
This subject is so vast that it has been divided into many sub-topics.  A brief idea of the sub-topics is given here but chose a tab on the left for a fuller description. New sub-topics will be added from time to time. Some subjects cross boundaries e.g. landscape history and nature, so look in both places..

Agriculture
The Transactions and HAN contain many references to agriculture in Herefordshire, unsurprisingly. These range from farm buildings to open fields and meadows. 

Woodlands and Trees
Herefordshire's woodlands have been man-managed for hundreds of years and there are many records of this activity, both documentary and on the land itself. This subject  will appear in the Nature topic under Trees and Woodlands.

Archives
There are a number of archives (apart from Herefordshire's own archives and records centre) which have substantial collections of local records. They have their own websites and links will be given to these. Members or others may wish to post their own photographs of documents to help other researchers. These can be restricted to Club members. Note that the Club's own archive will be made available in this section.

Boundaries and Divisions
One of the special interests of the Club has been the study of the influence of man on shaping the Herefordshire landscape – and vice versa. 

Industry
Although Herefordshire has been historically been primarily an agricultural county, certain areas have an industrial heritage dating back to the Iron Age.

Members' Records
For many years the members of the Club have been examining and recording archives or private collections of deeds concerning Herefordshire.. These detailed records have often remained in private hands and unless they have been published in full they have been unavailable for study. Indeed, many have been destroyed inadvertently after a member’s death. Apart from the odd collection, usually uncatalogued, which has found its way into local archives their work has been lost. The advent of computers and digital photography means that members have the possibility of sharing their research with other Club members or, if they wish, with the public.

Water Management
The history of the weirs on the Wye and its tributaries has been explored in a number of papers both in the Transactions and HAN. They may well date from Roman times and were valuable as fisheries as well as for providing motive power for mills and ironworks. It has been proved recently that water meadows i.e. meadows provided with water by leats are more extensive in the county than originally thought.

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