Institute of Historical Research

How the IHR is supporting historians at this time

In this period of uncertainty, the IHR looks to support historians, and their research, with a range of digital initiatives - including primary and secondary resources, online events and training.

What we do & why we matter

Our Strategy, 2020-2025

Learn more about our strategy as we embark on the IHR's second century of serving as a national home for historians.

Our Mission

The Institute of Historical Research is the UK's national centre for history. Learn more about our mission, our values and our vision for the future.

Our projects and resources

British History Online

British History Online is a digital library of key printed primary and secondary sources for the history of Britain and Ireland.

Layers of London

Layers of London is a groundbreaking crowd-sourced mapping project that records the rich layers of London's heritage.

Historical Research

Historical Research is the IHR's academic journal. Founded in 1923, it is a leading peer-reviewed journal with an international readership and reputation.

Bibliography of British and Irish History

The Bibliography of British and Irish History (BBIH) is the most extensive guide available to what's been published on British and Irish history.

Victoria County History

The Victoria County History is one of the world's longest-running research projects, exploring England's rich local history.

IHR Books Series

The IHR publishes a range of book series, including edited collections, experimental short histories and a new set of monographs by early career historians.

Reviews in History

Reviews in History is the IHR's online reviews service. It provides specialist commentaries on the latest historical books, exhibitions and digital resources.

Open Access Publishing

The IHR is committed to developing Open Access (OA) publishing for historians. Titles in a range of IHR series appear as OA from first publication.

Seminars & Events

Seminars, A-Z

We are home to the UK's largest programme of research seminars dedicated to history, with over 70 meeting regularly during the academic year. All welcome, explore the directory.

What's On

Latest events, seminars, workshops, public lectures and training from the Institute of Historical Research

Search the IHR Wohl Library Catalogue

27 jan

The LGBTQ+ community: an underappreciated resource in environmental awarene…

With this post we begin a new series of articles on 'Environment & History': studies highlighting current research on histories of climate and environment a…

12 jan

IHR Partnership Seminars: January 2021 launch of first 4 series

Starting on 12 January, we launch the first in our new series of IHR Partnership Seminars for 2021-22. Partnership Seminars offer a new channel for scholarly ex…

22 dec

The Institute of Historical Research in 2020

In our final post for 2020, here's a look back at some of the Institute's work in a busy and often difficult year. Throughout 2020, and especially since March, …

20 dec

Popham: recreating a Victorian village via the census

In this post Nancy Rickman, an A-Level History student, describes her placement with the Hampshire Team of the Victoria County History earlier in 2020. Nancy se…

17 dec

‘Reviews in History’, 2020: the year in review

During 2020 the IHR's Reviews in History site has published reviews and responses on 75 notable monographs and edited collections. This post highlights a few of…

07 dec

PhD –> BHO –> BL –> PhD: linking British History Online’s thesis data to th…

In summer 2020 we began a project to add records of 30,000 UK PhD theses to British History Online. In this post (the third in a series on this subject), Jonath…

30 nov

Earth, ice, wind and fire: making men on the eighteenth-century Grand Tour

'Masculinity and Danger on the Eighteenth-Century Grand Tour' is the latest title in the New Historical Perspectives series from the IHR, Royal Historical Socie…

17 nov

New from the Victoria County History of Leicestershire: Ibstock

The latest title in the VCH Short series is Ibstock, from the Victoria County History of Leicestershire. Written by Pamela J. Fisher, Ibstock is the third Short…

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Research Training

The IHR offers a wide range of training courses for historians at all career stages, from digital research and oral history to archives and publishing.

Study with Us

We offer taught postgraduate courses and M.Phil/PhD programmes supervised by research subject area experts.

What's On

Latest events, seminars, workshops, public lectures and training from the Institute of Historical Research

Fellowships

Our Fellows are an essential part of the IHR's vibrant research community. We offer Junior, Senior and Associate Research Fellowships.

How the IHR is supporting historians at this time