Cheshire Archives and Local Studies

What Cheshire Archives and Local Studies does

Cheshire Archives and Local Studies is a local-authority shared service jointly commissioned by Cheshire West and Chester Council and Cheshire East Council. It preserves and provides public access to the official and local history records of Cheshire, spanning from the 12th century to the present day. Its holdings include quarter session records, estate maps, parish registers, and other primary-source materials of regional historical significance.

The service operates from two recently relocated purpose-built centres in Chester and Crewe, complemented by a growing digital infrastructure. Online products include the Epexio catalogue, a relaunched Tithe Maps Online resource, and an image bank, which together enable remote research by genealogists, academics, and property historians. Digitised collections are also distributed commercially through partnerships with Find My Past and Ancestry. The service runs schools workshops, community projects, and an education programme to broaden its user base beyond academic researchers.

The business model is predominantly public-sector grant funding from the two commissioning councils, supplemented by National Lottery grants, fee-based paid research and reprographic services, and any revenue share derived from commercial genealogy partners. Core on-site and online access is provided free of charge, consistent with its statutory public-service remit. Strategic direction is shaped by a new long-term vision supported by National Lottery funding, with emphasis on expanded physical capacity, continued digitisation, and broader community engagement.

Name

Cheshire Archives and Local Studies

Legal name

Cheshire Archives and Local Studies

Website

https://cheshirearchives.org.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cheshire Archives and Local Studies is a local-authority shared service preserving and providing public access to historical records of Cheshire from the 12th century to present, serving genealogists, researchers, schools, and community users through physical centres and digital platforms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Archive and Heritage Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921), Libraries and Archives (519210), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural Heritage Institutions (Archives, Historic Houses, Monuments Foundations) (THAJADAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Archives, Special Collections & Preservation Operations (Rare Materials, Conservation) (EDAEAGAJ), Public Libraries & Information Services (BPAIACAO), Historic Sites, Heritage Landmarks & Archaeological Sites (THAJACAC)

Keywords

• Archive services
• Local history records
• Genealogical research
• Document conservation
• Historical record preservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Chester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Public Sector Funding: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies is a shared service of Cheshire West and Chester Council and Cheshire East Council, hosted by Cheshire West and Chester Council. Core operations are funded through public sector funding as part of council services.
2. Copying and Research Services: Fee-based services for copying documents, providing research assistance, and producing certificates (such as baptism certificates). Charges are listed on the Search and Shop page. Services include handling requests for copies of archive materials and conducting research on behalf of customers.
3. Conservation Services: The Conservation Team provides repair services for paper and parchment documents, maps, plans, and photographs, as well as custom protective packaging such as boxes and folders. Contact numbers provided for these chargeable services.
4. Product Sales: Sale of archival quality packaging materials (acid free folders, boxes, photographic sleeves, calico map bags) and the Cheshire Image Bank photographs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Cheshire Archives and Local Studies is a shared public archive service that preserves and provides access to historical records of Cheshire from the 12th century to the present day. The service operates an online catalogue for searching collections, offers digitised genealogical records through Find My Past and Ancestry, provides an interactive tithe maps platform, sells photographs through the Cheshire Image Bank, and delivers copying, research, and conservation services. It also supports schools, community groups, and individual researchers with educational visits, group talks, and record care guidance.

Product overview

Cheshire Archives and Local Studies (CALS) is a shared service of Cheshire West and Chester Council and Cheshire East Council, providing access to the historic written record of Cheshire from the 12th century to the present day. The core offering consists of an online archive catalogue (powered by Epexio/Meta datis) that provides search and discovery for physical collections, supplemented by specialised sub-products including the Cheshire Tithe Maps Online mapping platform, the Cheshire Image Bank for digitised photographs, and The Cheshire Collection of genealogical records distributed through Find My Past and Ancestry. Core services encompass copying and research services, a professional Conservation Service for document repair, Digital Preservation Services with guidelines for digital records, school services, community project support, group visits and talks, and a donation and deposit service for records at risk. The Digital Preservation policy and related guidelines provide structured guidance on managing digital archives. The catalogue is accessible to over 1 million people annually at the Record Office, via Local Studies collections in libraries, through the website, and via outreach activities. Access to the Record Office is currently on hold as the service prepares for relocation to new centres in Chester and Crewe, expected to reopen in 2026.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Online Archive Catalogue Web-based search and discovery portal for the collections held by Cheshire Archives and Local Studies, powered by the Epexio platform (Metadatis Ltd). Allows users to search records, view digitised materials, and save items.
• Copying and Research Services Paid services allowing users to obtain copies of records and commission research into archive collections, including document copying, publication sales, baptism certificate requests, and research requests.
• Cheshire Tithe Maps Online Interactive mapping platform providing online access to nearly 500 tithe maps from the mid 19th century with details of owners, occupiers, and land, overlaid with modern maps, aerial photographs, and historical Ordnance Survey maps. Mobile-friendly with full-screen map viewing and fade comparison tools.
• Cheshire Image Bank Digital image repository containing historic photographs of Cheshire people, places, and events. Users can browse and purchase copies of images.
• The Cheshire Collection Digitised Cheshire genealogical records (parish registers, BMD records, census returns, and more) made available through partnerships with Find My Past and Ancestry subscription platforms, comprising over 10 million Cheshire records.
• Conservation Service Professional document repair and preservation service offered by qualified conservators for paper and parchment documents, maps, plans, and photographs. Also provides custom protective packaging such as acid free folders, boxes, photographic sleeves, and calico map bags.
• Research Services Fee-based research service where archive staff conduct research into collections on behalf of users. Handles enquiries from council officers, police authorities, and urgent baptism certificate requests.
• Services for Schools Educational services supporting teachers to fulfil National Curriculum requirements, with archive visits, handling sessions, curriculum-linked workshops, loan of replica document collections, and guidance notes for students.
• Community Projects Support Support for community archives including advice on collections care, packaging materials, digitisation guidance, and assistance with external funding bids for community archive or history projects.
• Group Visits and Talks Presentations and sessions at the Record Office for interested groups about the work of the service and the sources held, typically lasting two hours with record selections according to the group's area of interest.
• Donation and Deposit Services Services accepting documents, maps, illustrations, or photographs relating to Cheshire and its communities for permanent preservation, including arrangements for records at risk of being lost.
• Digital Preservation Services Guidelines and policy for managing digital records to ensure long-term accessibility, covering file organisation, email management, software and media handling, housekeeping, passwords and encryption, intellectual property, legacy file handling, and website archiving.
• Database Indexes Searchable online indexes including the Railways Staff Database (around 25,000 entries covering c.1869-1950 staff of Cambrian Railway, Great Western Railway, London and North Western Railway, and London and North Western and Great Western Joint Railway), Cheshire military records, First World War servicemen index, and Overleigh Cemetery records.
• Record Care Guidance Advice and guidelines for individuals and organisations on preserving their own collections, covering handling, packaging, and storage of paper documents, parchment, volumes, maps, plans, photographic materials, and modern media.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1 million people served annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Find My PastcoreTechnology or IntegrationFind My Past hosts The Cheshire Collection with over 10 million Cheshire records, including parish registers, census returns, BMD records, and other genealogical sources. This partnership provides global digital distribution of the archive's most popular collections to Find My Past subscribers worldwide.
• AncestrycoreTechnology or IntegrationAncestry provides access to Cheshire Collection records for its subscribers, complementing the Find My Past partnership to maximise digital distribution of genealogical resources.
• Archives and Records AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Archives and Records Association administers the national CARN reader's ticket scheme. When visitors access the searchroom, their details are shared with ARA for the CARN scheme, which provides a standardised reader's ticket across participating archives.
• Cheshire East CouncilcoreTechnology or IntegrationCheshire Tithe Maps Online is hosted on Cheshire East Council's mapping infrastructure at maps.cheshireeast.gov.uk, providing the technical platform for the interactive tithe map viewer.
• Metadatis LtdcoreTechnology or IntegrationMetadatis Ltd provides and hosts the Epexio archive catalogue platform for Cheshire Archives and Local Studies, powering the online search and discovery portal at catalogue.cheshirearchives.org.uk.
• Cheshire West and Chester CouncilcoreOthersCheshire Archives and Local Studies is a shared service hosted by Cheshire West and Chester Council, which acts as the data controller for personal information collected.
• Cheshire East CouncilcoreOthersCheshire Archives and Local Studies is a shared service of Cheshire East Council in partnership with Cheshire West and Chester Council.
• Cheshire East librariesmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal studies collections distributed across Cheshire East libraries (Alsager, Congleton, Crewe, Knutsford, Macclesfield, Nantwich, Poynton, Sandbach, and Wilmslow) with free access to Ancestry and Find My Past subscriptions.
• Cheshire West and Chester librariesmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal studies collections distributed across Cheshire West and Chester libraries (Chester, Ellesmere Port, Neston, Northwich, and Winsford) with free access to Ancestry and Find My Past subscriptions.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• British Library: National library of the UK with substantial archival, manuscript, and map holdings. Comparable to Cheshire Archives in providing public access to historical documents, conservation services, and digital content — but at vastly greater scale and with national rather than county remit.
• The National Archives (UK): UK government's official national archive, holding central government records of England and Wales. Operates overlapping archival functions (searchroom, online catalogue, education, research services) but at national scale; sets standards that local archives like Cheshire adhere to.

Others

• Ancestry: Global genealogy and family history platform that distributes Cheshire records through its subscription service. Comparable as a research destination for CALS users and a strategic channel partner, while also competing for user attention and subscription spend.
• Find My Past: Major subscription genealogy platform hosting the Cheshire Collection of 10M+ records. Acts as a key distribution partner but also a potential disintermediation threat — comparable to CALS as a discovery channel for family history, with broader global reach.

Direct peers

• Staffordshire Archives and Heritage Service: Midlands-based county archives service with comparable holdings of parish registers, tithe maps, school and estate records. Similar operational structure as a local-authority-funded service with searchroom, online catalogue, and outreach to family historians.
• Greater Manchester County Record Office (Greater Manchester Archives): North West England archival service holding records for Greater Manchester. Operates a similar model to Cheshire Archives — local-authority-funded searchroom, online catalogue, Find My Past/Ancestry partnerships — serving overlapping regional user communities of family and house historians.
• Lancashire Archives: County-level UK archives service holding Lancashire records from medieval to modern periods. Directly comparable to Cheshire Archives as a council-funded, geographically-bounded archive with similar holdings (parish registers, tithe maps, school records) and analogous user segments of genealogists and local historians.
• Lancashire County Council Libraries and Archives: Council-operated combined library and archive service offering local studies and archival access. Comparable to Cheshire Archives' hybrid local studies + archive model and its library-network distribution of genealogical subscription access.
• Derbyshire Record Office: English county archive service providing access to historical records of Derbyshire, including parish registers, tithe maps, and estate papers. Comparable operational footprint to Cheshire Archives in scope, services offered, and user segments served.

Regional players

• Merseyside Record Office: North West England archives service holding Merseyside records. Operates an equivalent public-searchroom-plus-online-catalogue model to Cheshire Archives, serving similar regional genealogy and local history demand, though in an adjacent rather than overlapping county.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CheshireRO
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCJpdfb6yMiSvaRCrmpt50Hg/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/cheshirearchives
• Instagraminstagram.com/cheshire_archives
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cheshire-archives-and-local-studies

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cheshire Archives and Local Studies