Kent Archives’ guide, How to Research the History of your House, provides a way in and checklist to the range of material available at Kent History and Library Centre for researching properties. This talk focuses on one particular documentary source, namely deeds proving title to land, whether it is built on or not. I intend to provide some guidance in locating and then interpreting title deeds, and to demonstrate their value as evidence, but also their limitations and how other sources may be used to supplement them. In some cases, historic houses have survived but their title deeds can’t be found; in other cases, some deeds have survived but the houses have not. One example, in the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth, demonstrates how they have helped locate the lost house of her grandfather, William Austen, in Tonbridge.

For further information and to reserve a seat, please ring 03000 420673 or email archives@kent.gov.uk