Langham Village History Group
Langham in Rutland Local History Society

The History Group was formed following the Langham 2000 exhibition to develop work already undertaken, by investigating some of the issues that had come to light.
The first group project was a study of the period 1841 - 1881 to investigate the reasons for population growth in the village during that time, against a background of most other villages declining. This involved transcribing and collating the 1841, 51, 61, 71, 81, 91 & 1901 census returns and analysing the data. (The returns are now freely available on our web site in a fully searchable format.)

In 2006 an award of £23,000 was made by the Heritage Lottery Fund to research The Life and Families of 17th Century Langham. The project commenced in September 2006 and culminated in an exhibition and book launch in May 2009.

Professor Alan Rogers, our mentor, advised on research methodology; collection and sharing of information and the preparation of written material. Members chose their research topics from a pre-prepared list. These included: Agriculture, Trades & Occupations, Finance &Taxation, Charities, Education & Learning, Homes & Furnishings, Costume, Food, The Role of Women, Transport, Roads and Tracks, Maps, The Church, Buildings and a Time Line.

Our work has included the transcription of one hundred and forty eight wills and thirty inventories, the transcription of our Parish Records of the period and detailed study of leases and documents from the Gainsborough estate, Westminster Abbey and elsewhere.
In undertaking their research members have visited: Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland Record Office; Northampton Record Office; Lincoln Record Office; Westminster Abbey Library; The British Library; Leicester University Library; Cambridge University Library; Oakham School Library; Loughborough Library; Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society Library; London & Metropolitan Archive; Public Record Office, Kew; Loughborough Bell Foundry; Donnington le Heath Manor; Gainsborough Old Hall; Rutland County Library; Rutland County Museum; Oliver Cromwell House at Ely; Laxton (Notts) ; Numerous churches & seventeenth century houses; Tallow Chandlers Hall, London.

During the course of the project the group has also been involved in: The publication of a Village Walk leaflet; the translation of the Manor Court Rolls 1486 to 1546; the identification of the 11th century churchyard cross; the locating and dating a high status 15th century house; the digitally redrawing of the 1624 parish map, the 1841 tithe map and apportionments, making the data freely available on our web site for research.