Family History Journey in England

Visit the place where your family came from. See your ancestors' home town or village anywhere in England with your own local historian to guide you. Understand where they were born, as well as how and where they lived and worked. Put your genealogy in first-hand context.

Simply specify where your ancestors lived (one place or more). Family History Journey advise you on your itinerary and book your local historian. Local accommodation and transport can be arranged for you. Once your itinerary and the cost have been agreed, pay a deposit and everything will be taken care of.

The specific history and geography of each village, town and city in England are unique, and the availability of historical sites can vary considerably from one place to another. In any given place, there may be:

• the place or road where your ancestors lived, or as close as
• the Parish Church, and other religious buildings, where your ancestors were baptized, married or buried
• the Manor House, or Hall, and cottages
• historic inns, taverns and public housess familiar to your ancestors
• civic buildings, local history centres, and museums
• places of occupational and/or industrial relevance to your ancestors, such as mills and forges
• remains of earlier times eg Viking, Anglo-Saxon, Roman, Iron Age and Stone Age
• folk customs and traditions remembered through modern events, such as plays, dancing and re-enactments

Much more information about the history of England and local history can be found under the About England tab above. When you submit a tour request, Family History Journey will advise you about what sites are available in your ancestors' home village or town and what type of tour(s) is most appropriate for your budget:

You can book a half-day tour with your local historian or a full day tour and you can book tours in one place or in many places. In each place you can book a walking tour or vehicular tour.

Walking tours usually last half a day (3-4 hours) and suitable for 1 - 12 persons.
One, two or more walking tours can be booked around the same area, for example, one in the village where your ancestors lived and one in the nearby market town where your ancestors traded or worked. You can also book tours in different parts of England, for example, if some of your ancestors came from the north of England, and others from the west. Transport can be booked for you and your local historian will meet you at each place.

Vehicular tours last half a day or a full day.
For your comfort, MPVs (Multipurpose Passenger Vehicles) are used for tours of 1-6 persons and mini-vans/buses for 7-12 persons. All vehicles and drivers are licensed and insured as public carriers. These tours can take in several historic sites and villages in the area in one day. For example, if your ancestors came from different villages within a parish, you can visit each one in a single day.
In the unlikely event that your local historian is also a public carrier, then many more great value for money possibilities will arise.

The following prices are for your guidance only. Every tour is priced individually depending on local circumstances. Please note that the guide prices quoted are per tour, not per person:

Hover with your mouse over the guidance price to see it in dollars: $ USD (USA), $ CAD (Canada) and $ AUD (Australia)

Literally walk in your ancestors' footsteps!

Your local history expert will lead you through the village or town centre, including the parish church where your ancestor/s may have been baptised, married and buried. Along the way, your local historian will talk to you about the history of the village or town, point out historical attractions, and explain what it would have been like when your ancestor/s lived there.

Guide price: £ 290 GBP per group*

See places familiar to your ancestors!

Led by your local history expert, and driven by a professional driver in an suitably-sized vehicle, you and your party will be driven around the area or parish where your ancestors lived and worked, taking in nearby historic sites, villages, and towns. You will be able to get out to explore further.

Guide prices:

1-6 persons £ 848 GBP per group*
7-12 persons £ 980 GBP per group*

* Prices quoted are for guidane only and do not include any possible entrance fees or refreshments. A percentage booking/arrangement fee is usually charged for accommodation and additional transport

We advise that you book 3-4 months in advance for the best possible tour. You should book at least 21 days before your visit, but if you want to plan a year in advance, that is fine. You can arrange your tour for any time of year! If you can be entirely flexible, then Family History Journey can advise on local events that may be of interest to you and when they are held. If, on the other hand, your flights and vacation are already fixed, then that is also fine.

Family History Journey can arrange to transfer you from any city in England to the town or village where your tour is to take place on your behalf. This may be by private and/or public transport as you prefer.

Accommodation and/or restaurants, budget or luxury, can be booked on your behalf (for any length of stay) as close as possible to the place where your ancestors lived and worked.

1. Make sure you have the name of the town/s or village/s you want to visit, and some information about your ancestors who lived there, to hand and then click on the 'Request' button

If further genealogical research into your ancestry is needed in the places you want to visit, you will have an opportunity to request it

2. You will receive an email acknowledging receipt of your request, and then, within 5 days, you will receive a call to discuss the possibilities and your requirements in more detail

3. If Family History Journey can help, you will receive an email confirming acceptance of your booking and confirming the details and the price. If you wish to proceed, simply pay the requested deposit (usually 25-50% of the price)

4. Family History Journey will book then make the tour bookings on your behalf and keep you informed. The balance of the price will be due 21 days before your tour is due to begin

Family History Journey maintains a county-based panel of local historians (professional and amateur) who are willing and able to guide clients and customers around their specialist locality and can explain clearly and knowledgeably how and where specific families lived and worked. If you are a local historian, and want to join Family History Journey's panel, click here.