Heraldry's unfamiliar terminology discourages people from learning more about this fascinating subject but heraldic language is essential for the precise description of a coat of arms. This book provides a gentle introduction explaining terms and providing basic principles.

First full edition of a crucial source for knowledge of the period. The eyre roll is a major source of information about medieval life, ranging from local courts and land tenure through town customs and the status of women to general neighbourliness. This is especially important for Northumberland, where constant border raiding was detrimental to the accumulation of local records. The survival of the Northumberland Eyre Roll for 1293, recording over eleven hundred law suits, provides a rare glimpse of the county (togetherwith information on Lancashire, Westmorland and Cumberland) on the eve of the outbreak of the Anglo-Scottish wars; as only brief extracts from the roll have been published previously, this full edition will be warmly welcomed. Thetext is accompanied by notes and a subject index providing a full guide to topics of special interest. CONSTANCE FRASER is a retired lecturer.

This is a step-by-step guide to using the wealth of online records to trace your family tree from your own computer, without the need to travel to national and regional record offices. Whether you are a novice or an experienced genealogist, and whether you plan to devote just a few hours of your time or embark on a life-time hobby, this book will guide you through the mass of records available - birth, marriage and death, the census, and much, much more - so that you can trace your line back hundreds of years. You will also learn how to upload your results to the internet, both to preserve your family's heritage and to connect with relatives, so that you can exchange photos and reminiscences. Contents: Welcome!; 1. What the internet offers the genealogist; 2. How to start; 3. Finding records of birth, marriage and death; 4. Using census records; 5. Other major sources; 6. Military; 7. Wills and where to find them online; 8. Migration; 9. Newspapers; 10. Occupations; 11. The poor and workhouse records; 12. Noble ancestors; 13. Directories; 14. School and university records; 15. Working with the wider context; 16. Family medical history; 17. DNA; 18. Working with names; 19. Recording your family tree; 20. Online recording options; 21. Problems of online trees; 22. Finding living relatives; 23. Genealogical miscellany; 24. Accent and dialect; 25. Final; Key websites; Index

Magnificent depictions of lions, tigers, wreaths, falcons, rosettes, human figures, mythical creatures, much more.

This is a complete history and visual guide to over 400 famous tartans. It is a comprehensive and informative visual directory of tartans, both ancient and modern. It contains a fascinating account of how tartan is woven into every aspect of the story of the Scottish nation, examining its history, origins, and contemporary uses. It shows how Scotland's heritage now extends far beyond her shores, and how tartan is used to unite and identify a diverse ancestral tradition. It is lavishly illustrated throughout with evocative fine art images and a complete directory of major tartan setts, from the Bruce clan to the Stewarts. It includes corporate and international tartans as well as family and associated tartans. This illustrated guide provides a detailed insight into the origins and history of tartan, from the very earliest samples, through those worn by the warring clans in the Stuart rebellions, to the Katsushika Japanese Dancers. The first section details the story of tartan, with information on the way the fabric and weaves developed and how it became a symbol of resistance. The main part of the book is a directory illustrating the major clan tartans followed by international and modern tartans, with a wealth of history and background to each. From the ancient Bruce family to Neil Armstrong, who took his family tartan to the moon, tartan is one of the most enduring symbols of national price and individual reputation. It is also a peculiarly inclusive, adapatable way of proclaiming allegiance and belonging.