How it Works
Discover how we transform your home's hidden past into a story worth sharing.
Whether your home is 100 or 400 years old, we have two ways to uncover the forgotten people, events, and stories hidden behind its doors - from essential research findings to beautifully presented stories you can treasure and display.
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[Choose your Path] • [What Happens After Booking] • [How we Work] • [FAQs] • [Meet the Team]
Uncover stories that can’t be found on Findmypast or Ancestry.com
Discover the untold chapters of your home's story through meticulous professional research
Receive a beautifully presented story designed to be displayed and shared for years to come
Perhaps you've started exploring your home's history, hitting unexpected challenges along the way. You might have discovered that historical records aren't always straightforward - census records without house names, changing street numbers, and gaps in documentation can make the research feel overwhelming.
Maybe you're eager to uncover your home's story but aren't sure where to begin, or simply can't find the time to get started. Or maybe you've gathered some information but sense there's so much more to uncover and want the confidence of professional research to bring it all together into a cohesive narrative.
Your home's story deserves more than scattered notes - it deserves to be beautifully presented and proudly displayed.
Here’s exactly how that happens - from first steps to final delivery.
Choose Your Research Path
We offer two ways to explore your home's history:
Discovery Reports: Uncover the essential facts about your home's past - perfect for seeing what records exist before committing to the full experience
Signature Storytelling Packages: Transform your research into beautifully crafted narratives with printed books and wall art.
What Happens After Booking?
Phase 1: Discovery
After booking, we'll send you a link to our welcome form to gather any knowledge you already have about your home - from deeds you might hold to stories passed down by previous owners. Once we have everything we need, our research begins.
Depending on your chosen service, we'll delve into online historical records (such as census records, electoral registers, street directories, maps, and newspaper archives) or extend our research into physical archives across the UK to uncover those harder-to-find details that add rich layers to your home's history. See our packages page for further details about the types of records included with each package.
Every record we uncover is carefully referenced in a detailed research report, with copies added to your file - ensuring a complete and verified record of your home's history.
Phase 2: After the Research
Discovery Reports: We organize all findings chronologically, transcribe historical documents, and compile everything into a comprehensive digital report. Beyond dates and documents, we uncover the narratives that make your home unique, presenting them with full source references and document images.
Signature Packages: Once our research is complete, we weave our discoveries into an accurate and compelling story. Every significant finding is thoughtfully incorporated - from architectural changes to past residents' lives. We also add rich social history context where appropriate, helping you understand how your home's story fits within the broader tapestry of its time and place. Each element is carefully crafted to bring your home's unique history to life.
Phase 3: Design & Production (Signature Packages Only)
For every signature package, we create a luxury giclee wall print on fine art parchment paper. Your story is thoughtfully edited and arranged according to your chosen layout, pattern, and colour scheme - each design drawing inspiration from British heritage and featuring our distinctive brand style of elegant typography and decorative elements.
For Classic packages and above, we also design a beautifully bound storybook. Historical images, maps, and documents are carefully positioned alongside the narrative and your research report, creating a layout that enhances your home's story. Each element is thoughtfully arranged to create a piece that's both informative and visually striking.
Phase 4: Final Delivery
Discovery Reports: Digital delivery via email (4-12 weeks)
Signature Packages: Your house history documents are professionally printed, creating elegant pieces worthy of display. We personally check every detail before carefully packaging your finished history, ensuring it arrives ready to take pride of place in your home (8-16 weeks depending on the package).
Need your package in time for a special occasion? Let us know. We'll do what we can to ensure delivery in time - and offer bespoke cards to give your recipient on the day if we’re unable to.
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'We love knowing the stories of how the house came to be built and was passed down through a family, and how it has changed so much over the years through its use. I pick up on different pieces of the story each time I read it; it’s a great talking point with guests and a daily reminder of the history of our home and how special it is that we are now part of this story.'
LUCY ROBINS, THE WOODLANDS, LEICESTERSHIRE - COMPREHENSIVE PACKAGE
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'We were keen to learn more about the history of our newly purchased house, which we believed to be dated to 1834. We discovered it has been around since the 1700s, which was a complete surprise! We will treat this grand old lady with even more reverence and respect. You uncovered so many little gems about our beautiful house that may otherwise have been lost or overlooked. The communication was fantastic throughout and the finished book was beautiful, so incredibly detailed. ’
VICTORIA, MEAGRAM HOUSE, LINCOLNSHIRE - THE CLASSIC PACKAGE
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‘I have always loved this house - even before moving in I used to spot it as I drove past. Now knowing it was the village Surgery for many years (as a nurse) I feel I now understand that draw better. The rich and colourful lives of the people who lived here was incredible. Learning that the road and houses behind us had once been our orchard was a surprise. The wall print is now proudly hung in our hallway.’
AMANDA SCOTT, FARBROOKE HOUSE, LINCOLNSHIRE - THE CLASSIC PACKAGE
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'One very happy customer! Thank you for the wonderful package of information so beautifully presented. My husband was over the moon and I have been very proud to show this off to curious family and friends. It's just perfect!'
JOSIE, BEACH HOUSE, GLOUCESTERSHIRE - COMPREHENSIVE PACKAGE
How We Work
Our research process transforms scattered historical records into a story worth sharing. Beyond dates and documents, with our signature house history packages we uncover the narratives that make your home unique - beautifully presented and ready to take pride of place in your home.
Research That Grows With You
From essential online records in our House Tales package to extensive archive visits in our Premium package, we tailor our research to your curiosity and budget. Each tier reveals different layers of your home's story.
Stories That Connect
While maintaining rigorous academic standards, we craft narratives that captivate. Your house history balances historical accuracy with engaging storytelling, making every discovery meaningful for you and your visitors.
Designed To Be Shared
Your home's history arrives as an elegantly crafted statement piece, designed to be displayed. No more scattered notes or hidden files - this is a conversation piece that enriches your home's story.
Skilled Historical Research
Historical research is both an art and a science - knowing where to look, which documents to request and how to decipher centuries-old handwriting. Our expertise helps us piece together fragments from multiple sources, carefully verifying each discovery to transform scattered clues into your home's complete story.
FAQs
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Precise build dates emerge in about half of our house histories - though the likelihood of finding them varies with the property's status and age (and is more likely in our bigger packages, which give us access to physical archives), we have uncovered construction dates for Victorian homes even in our House Tales research.
In our online research packages (the House Tales and the Classic packages), if precise dates can’t be found for Victorian and Edwardian properties, we are usually able to narrow down construction periods using maps. For older properties, archive research may be needed to provide a construction period. It depends on the status of the property and the available records for each property.
Architect and builder details tend to surface more often for grander properties.
Find out more about our package options here.
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Historical photographs are available for about 5-10% of properties, so they are relatively rare but exciting to find! They are much more likely to be found for grander properties and in our archive packages, but we have also been lucky to find photographs for more humble properties and even in our online research packages.
Find out more about our package options here.
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The main focus of our work is the social history of a house; however, we will always include details of the house’s architecture and development whenever we find them during our research.
We will ask you to share anything you know about the house and its history and development before we begin your commission – as any information you have could be very useful in our research and in building a fuller picture of the house’s history.
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Yes! For homes built after 1920, we offer our Modern House Tales package, which explores your property's surroundings, the land it was built on and how your neighborhood has evolved over time. You can find more details about this package here.
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Many historical records are now available online, including census returns, maps and newspapers, and our House Tales and Classic packages harness these online resources to uncover fascinating details about your property's past.
However, the full story of your home often extends beyond digital archives. For a deeper exploration, many valuable records are still only accessible in local and national archives, including deeds, tax records, older maps, wills and probate records, sales particulars, estate and manorial records, and more. Our Comprehensive and Premium packages include this archival research, often revealing additional layers of your home's history.
Find out more about our package options here.
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In over 90% of cases, we find sufficient records to create your home's story. After booking a full package, our first step is to conduct a records check. If we find that there aren’t sufficient records to fulfil your chosen package, we will adjust the package level and refund the difference. If we find that your home can’t be easily identified in enough records to fulfil our smallest package, you will receive a full refund less our £50 search fee.
If we find that your house can’t easily be identified in records, this doesn’t mean that no records are available for your house anywhere, but just that we can’t guarantee that further research would produce the results needed to be able to fulfil one of our packages. In this case, we will advise on next steps.
If you prefer, you can book a Records Check first to determine if a property is eligible for one of our house history packages, and which package it is best suited to - please see our house history packages page for further information.
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Historical research is much like an archaeological dig - we can never predict exactly which records have survived through time. While we can't guarantee finding specific information about every period or previous owner, our expertise ensures we know where to look and how to interpret what we discover.
Every document that we uncover has survived decades or centuries to reach you. And each detail adds another layer to your property's unique story.
What clients are saying
‘I already loved my property for its age and character, but discovering its history has made me appreciate it even more. The research revealed far more than I ever imagined, including settling a long-standing debate about the building's origins. We'd always wondered whether it was originally one building before being split into two, and now we finally have clarity about its evolution.’
LISA, ANGLESEY - HOUSE TALES PACKAGE
‘Everything about the experience exceeded my expectations. The team was amazing, and the print is exquisite. My parents also loved the accompanying documents. It hangs so proudly in their home now. What a novel and amazing gift.’
ZARA, HIGH WYCOMBE - HOUSE TALES PACKAGE
‘It really resonated when I read about George Stratton, the longest resident at Stoneheal Cottage, and that he was a gardener, as I work in horticulture and actually own my own nursery. Another coincidence being that he was from Rickmansworth and my favourite great aunt lived in Rickmansworth. It makes me wonder if George Stratton is still here, keeping an eye on the place.
Thank you for all the hard work that has gone into bringing the history of Stoneheal Cottage to us.’
SUZIE, STONEHEAL COTTAGE - CLASSIC PACKAGE
Meet the Team
Rebecca Merrifield
FOUNDER & HOUSE HISTORIAN
Rebecca is a historical researcher and house historian from Derbyshire with a background in marketing and copywriting, a postgraduate degree in historic building conservation and an advanced certificate in genealogical skills and strategies.
She worked in collections and records conservation for the National Trust and Findmypast, which fuelled a passion for discovering and telling the hidden stories of historic places, leading her to start Pursuing the Past in 2022.
Rebecca lives on the Staffordshire/Derbyshire border and researches houses all over the UK.
‘The archives are my happy place - there’s nothing like discovering a house in a centuries-old record, knowing how much joy it will bring to the owner.’
Kelly Morrison
WRITER & HERITAGE SPECIALIST
Kelly is a writer, content curator and researcher from northeast Scotland, with a background in marketing and communications and a postgraduate degree in Heritage and Interpretation.
Her career has taken her to roles with the National Trust for Scotland and various academic research projects, all focused on connecting the past with the present. She is also an author, having written a wonderful companion guide to walking Aberdeenshire’s stunning Deeside Way.
‘Every location has a unique story. I’m fascinated by the sense of place - the layers of history, and the people who have shaped it.’