This handbook provides practical, step-by-step guidance for compiling a parish history, with detailed advice on tracing place-name etymology, analyzing field-names and maps, and consulting tithe and inclosure plans. It surveys archival sources and published records, including medieval surveys and manorial documents, and recommends useful reference works and repositories for further research. It addresses archaeological evidence such as barrows and stone monuments, cautions against common antiquarian errors, and outlines methods for organizing documentary material and verifying local traditions.