Overview of the types of archive materials held

Documents

Coverage

The Documents Archive contains items consisting primarily of the written word. It also includes:

  • photos of written documents
  • items that contain photos or maps where these are subsidiary to the main purpose of the item (e.g. enclosure awards that are supported by maps)
  • written transcripts of recordings held in the Audio-Visual archive

It does not include:

  • books (in the Books archive)
  • wills and probate documents (in the Wills archive)
  • items where the written words are in support of items held in other archives

Highlights

The archive currently reflects separate donations made at different times, leading to overlapping entries. The list below gives only the principal entry/entries:

  • transcripts of sixteenth and seventeenth century manorial documents, including the major land surveys of 1547 and 1633 (D.246.1 and D.2)
  • parish registers of baptisms, marriages and burials from 1599 (D.1.1 – D.1.5)
  • Hearth tax returns 1662-64 (D.106)
  • Census returns from 1811 onwards (D.339)
  • original cricket score books dating from 1898 (D.408)
  • reminisces about Radley village in earlier times (D.22, D.23, D.111, D.196, D.271)
  • copies of letters written by Charles Lockett while a prisoner of war in Colditz Castle (D.35 and D.116)
  • memories by others of World War Two (D.232 and D.383)
  • album giving details of the Radley Good Friday Walk 1963-1997 (D.438)
  • papers about the founding of Radley Village Shop in 2007 (D.135)

Extent of digitisation

As of December 2025, about 50% of the Documents Archive has been digitised; in most cases – especially for older items – the hard copies have been retained.

Maps

Coverage

The Maps Archive includes:

  • maps that are based on fresh surveys and/or created specifically for mapping purposes (e.g. Ordnance Survey maps)
  • the Radley tithe map of 1849 (although created to support the tithe award it was based on a new and detailed survey)
  • the estate sale maps of 1889 and 1930 (although not based on fresh surveys they provide a good picture of the geography of the parish)
  • maps and plans for specific areas and/or purposes derived from the above

The following are also relevant but contained in other RHC archives:

  • maps linked to Enclosure Awards (Documents archive)
  • aerial photographs of Radley and surrounding areas (Photos archive)

Highlights

Many of the maps cover a wider area than Radley. The list below gives, in chronological order, maps of Radley interest:

  • M.48: 2025 presentation by John Leighfield with maps from earliest times, both generally and in relation to Radley
  • M.17: Roques map of Berkshire, 1760. 1 inch to a half mile. This is mainly held in large sheets, but those relevant to Radley are also held digitally. The only detailed map available at the time, but may make some use of earlier sources.
  • M.5: OS map of Radley area 1830, 1 inch to a mile. The first OS map to include the parish, based on a fresh survey but lacking detail.
  • M.32: 1849 tithe map. 1 inch to 3 chains (66 yards). Based on a fresh survey with a high level of detail. Held digitally with very good resolution. Exceptionally good.
  • M.38: complete set of OS maps for 1881-87 for Berkshire, including Radley. 6 inches to a mile, Held digitally.
  • M.7: Plan accompanying the catalogue for the Bowyer Estate sale, 1889
  • M.8: Plan accompanying the catalogue for the Wick Hall Estate sale, 1930

Extent of digitisation

As of December 2025, only about 5% of map items were held in digital form.

Visit the Archive Catalogue

Photographs

Coverage

  • The Photos Archive includes photographs, some mounted, taken with a camera or mobile phone.
  • It includes aerial photographs of Radley and surrounding areas.
  • It excludes photos of documents – in most cases these are of manorial and probate documents acquired from other archives so that they can be transcribed. These are in the Documents Archive.

Highlights

Archive highlights include photos of the following:

  • church and vicarage c.1890. (P.23-29)
  • Radley primary school and staff 1890s (P.157.4)
  • Mayday celebrations held in the central Lower Radley field 1894 and 1914. P.157.1 and 2)
  • old Radley buildings, the church, pond, railway and recent housing c.1930s. RHC has purchased rights of reproduction from the Oxford History Centre (P.144 series)
  • aerial photos showing the Radley area, including Radley Lakes, in 1947,1969 and 1995 (P.267,P.268 and P.269)
  • Radley summer fetes, 2000-2008 (P.135)
  • church and vicarage restorations in 1902, 1990 and 2008-2009 (P.198, P.65 and P.155)

Photos taken pre-WW2 and aerial photos are mainly by professional photographers. RHC holds high-resolution copies purchased from the Oxfordshire Studies/Oxfordshire History Centre of P.25-27 and P.29-31 (all by Henry Taunt) and the P.144 series.

Extent of digitisation

As of December 2025, about 70% of the items in the Photo Archive were held in digital form.

Visit the Archive Catalogue

Books

Coverage

The Books Archive includes all types of publication ranging from thin pamphlets to fat tomes.

The collection includes RHC’s own publications. Although not separately catalogued some spares of these are also held.

The following are also relevant but contained in other RHC Archives:

  • material prepared as part of the research for a publication (Documents Archive)
  • images and artwork used in a book but which also exist in standalone form (Photos Archive)

Highlights

Most of the books in the archive are of general interest or relate to neighbouring places, especially Abingdon. Of more direct Radley relevance are:

  • RHC’s own publications: their coverage (e.g. farms, railway or church) is clearly apparent from their titles.
  • Pre RHC histories of Radley by Sydney Allso and Partrick Drysdale (B.85 and B.47)
  • Autobiographical publications by David Buckle, Radley resident and Cowley trade union leader (B.70 and B.105)
  • Books about Radley College: of particular note are the history by A.K. Boyd covering the period from 1847to 1947 (B.15) and the diary written by William Wood while deputy head (B.150)

Extent of digitisation

  • All books in the archive are held in hard copy and stored in the archive bookcases.
  • About 5%, primarily RHC’s own publications, are additionally held in digital form.

Visit the Archive Catalogue

Journals

Coverage

The Journals Archive contains:

  • monthly issues of Radley News and predecessor village magazines (e.g. Church News)
  • journals of history societies to which RHC has subscribed
  • occasional copies of Oxoniensia, acquired by donations and loan

In more detail, holdings are as follows:

  • Radley News and predecessors: all editions 1894-1900 and 1946-1956, some editions 1963-70, almost all editions 1971-1983, all editions1984 onwards
  • Local History News: all editions 2007 onwards.
  • Local Historian: most editions 2006-2011, all editions 2012 onwards
  • Local Population Studies: all editions 2006-2015
  • Oxfordshire Family Historian: all editions 2000-2016
  • Oxfordshire Local Historian: most editions 2000 onwards
  • Oxoniensia: some editions from 1990 onwards

Highlights

Highlights of Radley interest include:

  • Radley News,1894-1900: the earliest detailed account of village affairs
  • Radley News, May and June 2020: special editions produced during the coronavirus outbreak
  • Local History News 2007, issue 88. Article about Stanley Baker, then RHC archivist, following the BALH award for his contribution to local history
  • Local History News 2017, issue 125. Article about RHC member Robert Sephton, following the BALH award for his article about the Bliss Tweed Mills Strike 1913-1914
  • Oxoniensia 1995 and 1999, articles about archaeological excavations in Radley
  • Oxoniensia 2003 and 2013, articles about the so-called Monks Map, which includes the Radley Lakes area
  • Oxfordshire Local History 2024, issue 12, article about Radley History Club

Extent of digitisation

  • About 90% of the Journals Archive is held in digital form and/or are available on the web.
  • The complete collection of Radley News and predecessor magazines has been digitised.
  • Radley News hard copies from 1946 were dismantled for digitisation and, although now not easy to use, have been kept. Hard copies of the earlier Church News 1894-1900 are in their original bindings.
  • With the exception of Oxfordshire Local History, journals are also accessible on the websites of the societies concerned.

Visit the Archive Catalogue

Audiovisual

Individual items in the Audiovisual Archive are listed in the online archive catalogue according to the subject topic to which they are most relevant.

Extent of coverage

Over half the Audiovisual Archive consists of recordings of interviews made by Radley History Club over the years of people living in, or connected to, the village. These recordings form five series:

The rest of this archive contains:

  • videos of tours organised by the Club and of other events
  • recordings of radio programmes relevant to Radley and talks to the Club

Highlights

  • Over a hundred recordings of oral history interviews; transcripts of an increasing number of these interviews have been made.
  • Summaries of the ‘Radley Remembered’ series of recordings based on a common framework of topics and a consolidated table of these summaries
  • A series of short accounts, many drawing on the Club’s oral history collection, about the memories of the experiences during World War Two of individual Radley residents (often in ways unrelated to Radley) and some about life on the home front in the village.

Extent of digitisation

All items in the Audiovisual Archive are in digital form.

Visit the Archive Catalogue

Wills

Extent of coverage

The Wills Archive is an extensive collection of transcriptions into understandable English of the wills of various Radley people who lived between the mid-16th century and the second half of the 19th century.

The vast majority of the transcriptions are by the late Stanley Baker, the Club’s former archivist, from photocopies of the original documents held in the Royal Berkshire Archives or The National Archives.

NB Later wills and associated documents that are in readable English are copies of the original and not transcriptions.

Highlights

    • Transcripts of the wills, and sometimes also probate documents and inventories of goods, of various tenant farmers in Radley
    • Transcripts of the wills of members of the Stonhouse family – lords of the manor of Radley from 1559/60 to 1795
    • Transcripts of the wills of members of the Bowyer family – lords of the manor of Radley from 1795 to 1900

    Extent of digitisation

    All items in the Wills Archive are in digital form.

    Visit the Archive Catalogue