In this third edition of his valuable study of the variety of civil and ecclesiastical documents in parish archives, Mr Tate corrected and revised the text and replaced Appendix II with information in County and other major local record offices in England. The purpose of the book is to illustrate and encourage research into local history by means of surviving documents and fragments; it opens a way of actual study for many would-be local historians. Much thought has been given to classification, and comparison; the book is cross referenced, indexed and illustrated. It prints many examples of typical records of all kinds, related them where necessary to the laws and conditions which gave rise to them, and to the society whose relics they are. Mr Tate's knowledge of documents and of the scattered literature dealing with them enabled him to describe and illustrate the evolution of local government.