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Huntingdonshire Collection

Introduction

The Huntingdonshire Collection is based at Huntingdon Library and Archives with satellite collections at St Neots and St Ives libraries. The Huntingdonshire Collection contains more than 5,000 books and pamphlets. Historical material relates to the old county of Huntingdonshire while current material covers the District of Huntingdonshire.

Opening times

Opening times for reading room at Huntingdon Library
Day Time
Monday 9.30am - 5pm
Tuesday 9.30am - 5pm
Wednesday 9.30am - 7pm
Thursday 9.30am - 1.30pm
Friday 9.30am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm
Sunday Closed

The Huntingdonshire Collection is based on the first floor of Huntingdon Library and Archives

Image of statue of Oliver Cromwell in St Ives
Statue of Oliver Cromwell in St Ives

Our special collections

The Cromwell Collection

The Local Studies Huntingdonshire Collection houses the Cromwell collection, one of the most comprehensive collections of material on Oliver Cromwell and the Civil War outside academic circles.

The Collection includes biographies of Cromwell by 50 different authors, as well as a wealth of material on the English Civil War in general. The collection comprises of the Cromwell Association Library, together with resources from the Library and the Cromwell Museum.

The Pepys Collection and Little Gidding Collection

Within the main collection , there are two smaller special collections. The Pepys Collection relates to Samuel Pepys. 

There is also a small collection of material on Nicholas Ferrar and the Community at Little Gidding.

Books and pamphlets

More than 5,000 books and pamphlets including:

  • Town and village histories
  • Historical trade directories
  • Victoria County History for Huntingdonshire

Newspapers

The titles listed below are all on microfilm, there are no original historical newspapers held in these libraries. Visitors are advised to contact us and book in advance to use the microfilm reader/printers to avoid disappointment.

  • Hunts, Beds & Cambridge Weekly Journal: Feb 1825 - Dec 1828
  • Cambridge Independent Press: 1863-1884
  • Hunts Guardian: Jan 1870-Nov 1893
  • Hunts County News: Mar 1886 - Dec 1926 (excluding 1912)
  • St Ives Chronicle: Jun 1889 - Feb 1901
  • Hunts & Cambs Observer: Oct 1890 - Oct 1893
  • Hunts Post: Nov 1893 - June 2010
  • Peterborough Standard: 1963 - 1973
  • Peterborough Citizen & Observer: 1963 - 1973
  • Town Crier: 1988 - 2008
  • Cambridge Evening News: 1988 - May 2007

  • St Neots Advertiser/Chronicle: Nov 1853 - Mar 1886
  • St Neots Family Paper: Dec 1854 - July 1856
  • St Neots Free Press: Nov 1898 - Oct 1902
  • St Neots (Monthly) Advertiser: Sep 1878 - Mar 1979
  • St Neots Weekly News: Mar 1979 - May 2007
  • Trader/Town Crier (various titles): 1980 - Jan 2009

Maps and plans

Ordnance Survey

Huntingdon Library and Archives has OS maps for the whole of Huntingdonshire ranging in scales from 1:500 to 1:10,000 dating from 1886. In addition, St Ives and St Neots libraries each hold Ordnance Survey maps covering its own particular area. Landranger, Pathfinder and Explorer maps, geological and land use maps are also available.

Historical maps

There are over 2000 printed and published maps covering the old county of Huntingdonshire in the Collection, including over 200 antiquarian maps.

Original manuscript maps are held in the Archives. The Dickinson Collection of hand drawn maps and our collection of prints of enclosure and estate maps are also available in the Archives.

A number of printed copies of full colour historical maps of Huntingdonshire are available for purchase at our Cambridgeshire Collection in Cambridge Central Library.

Goad plans

Goad plans of Huntingdon town centre from 1974 onwards are available. St Ives and St Neots libraries also hold Goad plans for their areas.

Photographs and illustrations

Huntingdon Library has a small collection of photographs which are held as part of the larger Archives collections. Many more photographs of Huntingdonshire are held by Huntingdonshire Archives. You can use the online archives catalogue to search these.

St Neots Library has a small collection which is indexed, additional photographs are also held at St Neots Museum.

St Ives Library has a small collection which is indexed, a larger collection is available at the Norris Museum.

Contact us

Huntingdon Library and Archives
Princes Street
Huntingdon
PE29 3PA
Email: localstudies.hunts@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

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