Typically the records of nonconformist chapels and meeting houses will be held by the local record office. The list here relates to central and other denominational records, including significant collections of personal papers of leading figures, national denominational societies and the like. Records of individual chapels will sometimes also be held.

For a study of sources see Clive Field, ‘Preserving Zion: the anatomy of Protestant Nonconformist Archives in Great Britain and Ireland’, Archives, vol. 33, no. 118, April 2008, pp. 14-51.

HUGUENOTS

Huguenot Library, University College London. ARCHON 1141
Representative Church Body Library, Dublin ARCHON 628

BAPTIST CHURCHES

BAPTIST UNION OF GREAT BRITAIN

Angus Library, Regent’s Park College, Oxford ARCHON 469
Northern Baptist College archives. University of Manchester Library ARCHON 135

BAPTIST UNION OF SCOTLAND

Scottish Baptist History Archive. ARCHON 2150 and ARCHON 3348
Scottish Baptist College. ARCHON 3347

WELSH BAPTIST UNION

National Library of Wales ARCHON 210
Welsh Baptist Union Library ARCHON 3210

IRISH BAPTISTS

Irish Baptist College Library, Craigavon ARCHON 3202

GENERAL BAPTIST ASSEMBLY

Dr Williams’ Library, London ARCHON 123

STRICT BAPTIST CHURCHES

Strict Baptist Historical Society Library, London ARCHON 3337

GOSPEL STANDARD BAPTIST CHURCHES

Gospel Standard Baptist Library, Hove ARCHON 3200

CONGREGATIONAL AND OTHER REFORMED CHURCHES

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF ENGLAND AND WALES

Most Congregational Churches in the UK joined the UNITED REFORMED CHURCH. See below.

Congregational Library, Dr Williams Library, London ARCHON 2143

CONGREGATIONAL UNION (later CHURCH) OF SCOTLAND

Glasgow City Archives ARCHON 243
National Records of Scotland. ARCHON 234
New College Library, Edinburgh University ARCHON 238

CONGREGATIONAL FEDERATION IN WALES

National Library of Wales ARCHON 210
Welsh Baptist Union Library ARCHON 3210

CONGREGATIONAL UNION OF IRELAND

Public Record Office of Northern Ireland ARCHON 255 (Includes Irish Evangelical Society)

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF ENGLAND

The Presbyterian Church of England was formed in 1876 from the merger of various English and Scottish Presbyterian churches in England. In 1972 the Church merged with the Congregational Church of England and Wales to form the UNITED REFORMED CHURCH.

United Reformed Church History Society, Westminster College, Cambridge ARCHON 2305

CHURCHES OF CHRIST IN GREAT BRITAIN (CAMPBELLITE)

Most Churches of Christ in the UK joined the UNITED REFORMED CHURCH. See below. Recently the bulk of the archives were transferred from Birmingham University to Westminster College.

United Reformed Church History Society, Westminster College, Cambridge ARCHON 2305
Cadbury Research Library, University of Birmingham ARCHON 150

UNITED REFORMED CHURCH

The United Reformed Church was formed through the merger of the Congregational Church of England and Wales and the Presbyterian Church of England in 1972. It was subsequently joined by the Associated Churches of Christ in Great Britain (1981), and then the Congregational Church of Scotland (2000).

Congregational Library, Dr Williams Library, London ARCHON 2143
United Reformed Church History Society Westminster College, Cambridge ARCHON 2305
United Reformed Church in Scotland. National Records of Scotland ARCHON 234
United Reformed Church Province of Wales. National Library of Wales ARCHON 210

MUGGLETONIANS

British Library, Manuscript Collections. ARCHON 58

SOCIETY OF FRIENDS (QUAKERS)

Friends House Library, London ARCHON 111
Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre ARCHON 2123
National Records of Scotland ARCHON 234
Special Collections, University of Leeds ARCHON
Quakers in Ireland Historical Library ARCHON 3195
Ulster Quarterly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends archives. 4 Magheralave Road, Lisburn, BT28 3BD

UNITARIAN AND FREE CHRISTIAN CHURCHES (AND PREDECESSORS)

Dr Williams’ Library, London ARCHON 123. Including Essex Hall Unitarian archives
Harris Manchester College, Oxford ARCHON 459
University of Manchester Library ARCHON 135
Scottish Unitarian Association: Glasgow University Special Collections ARCHON 247