Printed books

For property in Stratford-upon-Avon there are several printed works which may prove helpful:
Victoria County History of Warwickshire, vol 3. Article on Stratford by Philip Styles.
R. Bearman, Stratford-upon-Avon: a history of its streets and buildings (Hendon Publishing, 1988)
R. Bearman, ed., History of the streets of Stratford-upon-Avon, (typescript), 1973-; vols 1-3, High St., Chapel St., Bridge St.
H.E. Forrest, The Old Houses of Stratford upon Avon (Methuen, 1925)
Richard K. Morris, The Buildings of Stratford-upon-Avon (Alan Sutton, 1994)
Stratford-upon-Avon District Council, Conservation Area studies for Stratford-upon-Avon; Shottery; Alveston; Luddington [contain detailed descriptions of all listed buildings]

Data Cards

Properties in the historic core of the town are particularly well documented and data on these, derived from surviving deeds and other documentary sources, has already been abstracted onto cards. The information relating to Bridge Street, Chapel Street and High Street has been typed up as street histories, available on our library shelves (see above), but the cards both for these streets and all others in the town centre can be made available.

Building Plans

For houses built in Stratford-upon-Avon between 1851 and 1974 plans were submitted to the local Board of Health, or the Corporation acting as its successor. Similarly, plans were required for later alterations, e.g. new windows, extensions etc. Most of these survive in the Borough Records (BRT 7/10, BRR 49 & BRR 49a). A topographical index to these in two sections (1851-1935, 1935-1974) is kept in the Reading Room. The first of these indexes also includes entries for some Stratford properties built before 1851 for which evidence of their date of construction has been found. For the period 1933-1948 a register, compiled chronologically can also be consulted (BRR 49/6).  At present very few of these building plans are included in the online catalogue.

Many plans drawn up by the Corporation in respect of public works or publicly owned premises, including council housing, survive in the Borough Records (BRR 50) to which BRR 51 is an indexed register, c.1900-1974.  They are also covered by the online catalogue.

Directories

The occupancy of a house can be traced through printed Directories. From the 1880s these list properties by street and main occupier (not necessarily the owner) and can also be used to identify the year in which a property first appears. There is an almost full run of Spennell's, and later Kelly's, directories from 1880 to 1970. Before 1880 the directories list only the major householders, often with no address, and should be used solely for confirmation. For more details, see Trade Directories

Rate Books

Earlier owners and occupiers may be traced, for Stratford and Old Stratford (the area of the parish outside the original mediaeval borough boundaries, but comprising much of the modern town), from the series of rate books (BRT 8 & BRT 9) which survive, almost annually, from the early 19th century. For the earlier years these are arranged by ward, with no address, and can only be used with safety when the history of the property is traced backwards. Rate books record the estimated annual rental of the property and provide a useful guide as to the relative size and status of properties.

Census Returns

Census returns list the names of all those living in a particular household in the years 1841, 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891 and 1901. Prior to 1871 no specific address is given and the identity of a property can only safely be determined in conjunction with the rate books (see above). In general the census returns should be used for confirmation. For more details, see Census Holdings

Photographs

Although the history of a house may be well documented, its physical appearance may have changed over the years. This can be traced not only through plans (see above) but from early photographs. There is an index to the photographic holdings of the office linked to reference copies, filed by street, in the Reading Room. For more details, see  Photograph Collection.

Town Maps

Large-scale maps too will indicate both the previous environs of a property and changes which may have occurred to the fabric. For Stratford the most useful are:

• 1851 Board of Health plan (1:528). This shows many features of buildings, e.g. bay windows, as well as the existence of all outbuildings (stables, privies, wash houses) which may have subsequently disappeared.
• 1886 Ordnance Survey Town Plan: (1:500), showing the same detail as the 1851 map.
• From 1883: successive editions of the Ordnance Survey map (1:2500). While not giving as much detail as the larger scale maps, these are still sufficiently detailed to show the existence of individual properties and cover a larger area than either of the above. Sheet 44:6 covers most of Stratford and others are available for outlying hamlets.
• For more deteails, see Ordnance Survey maps held at the Records Office

Sale particulars

In the nineteenth century sale particulars often contained a map of the property to be sold together with the names of the owners of abutting premises. Those for larger properties may also be illustrated. It is always worth looking at particulars for a specific street. The references for these will be found under the relevant street in the place name index, or can be located on the online catalogue.

Deeds and other papers

Once the skeleton outline of owners/occupiers has been determined for a property, their names should be checked against the person-name index and the online catalogue for the survival of any deeds, wills or other papers affecting the premises.

Your own deeds may contain early documents of title (although in these days of registration this is becoming less likely). If they have survived, they will probably be lodged with your solicitor, building society or bank. They may be willing to supply you with copies, or at least to allow you to examine them. Even in cases where the only information they contain is relatively recent, you will probably find that it will establish links with some of the earlier documents available in the Record Office.