Sarah Tyacke CB, Chief Executive of The National Archives

Welcome

The National Archives of England, Wales and the United Kingdom has one of the largest archival collections in the world, spanning 1000 years of British history, from Domesday Book of 1086 to government papers recently released to the public.

You can see this collection at Kew, west London, or view certain documents online. Documents are opened for public inspection thirty years after the file was closed, except in a few cases where the closure period is longer.

The National Archives also acts as a clearing-house for information about the location of non-public records and manuscripts relating to British history kept elsewhere in the UK and overseas.

We give detailed guidance to government departments and the public sector on best practice in records management, as well as selecting public records of enduring historical value which will be kept for ever. We also advise custodians throughout the public and private sectors about the care of historical archives.