The Recorders of Uttlesford History celebrated their 10th anniversary in 2008 by launching a new website http://www.recordinguttlesfordhistory.org.uk

The searchable website will be a rich resource for those studying Uttlesford history. Already it has hundreds of pages of village history (including Clavering), genealogical data, publications, maps and photographs. It will complement the large amount of Clavering history already available on our own website: www.claveringonline.org.uk

In addition there will be a growing collection of more general material which covers the whole district, and ultimately it will become the premier site for the history of North-west Essex. The new website is also the vehicle for ‘RUTH’ (Recording Uttlesford History), the purpose-built database used by Recorders to catalogue local collections of archives. The initial batch of over 900 Clavering catalogued items should be going on there soon. A particularly exciting addition is the provision of online articles taken from early issues of the Saffron Walden Historical Journal – these will include those relating to Clavering.

In addition, there are plans to provide links with archives at the Town Library, Saffron Walden Museum and the Essex Record Office. Individuals with local history collections they would like to catalogue can also apply to take part in the database scheme, or add material to village pages, and family historians can use it to link their own research pages.

The Recorders of Uttlesford History have two main functions:   to try to conserve records of the past, and to make sure that present potential archives go on being collected and changes in the locality recorded. In Clavering I took over the role from Eileen Ludgate who had been Recorder here since the Essex scheme began in the 1970s. She was also Langley Recorder but we have no Recorder there at present. In Arkesden, Kate Barwood is Recorder and we have just acquired a new Recorder for Wicken Bonhunt, Deborah Lowe. We are all part of a network of 39 local historians covering this large rural district. If you would like to know more please contact me: jacqueline.cooper@virgin.net

The photograph shows the Recorders of Uttlesford History at their annual meeting, held on 21 May at The Bury, Manuden.