New Forest Knowledge seeks to provide a link to New Forest related holdings in various archives and holdings around the country. The aim is to create a site where one search returns information from many sources to help you find what you’re looking for. Not all the data will be accessible to download from our site, but it will signpost where you can get it from.
The following provides some information on the different datasets and what to expect from their results.
There are two main ways data is accessed:
- API (application programming interface) – allows communication between various software components, in this case archive databases. This means that any updates to the parent dataset will be updated on New Forest Knowledge daily.
- Import – A copy of an archive database has been imported into New Forest Knowledge, this will be updated manually as a regular occurrence, but it means that any updates to the parent dataset will not appear on New Forest Knowledge straight away.
We will update it as we add additional datasets and access more archives.
The British Film Institute – API
The British Film Institute holds a huge searchable collection of film and television, still images, ephemera, books and journals.
- BFI results will give you a description and a link to the individual record on the BFI website where you can view the film on the BFI’s own media player for free.
- BFI data can be commented on but cannot be edited/amended by us. We will feed back any comments, but can’t guarantee any edits will occur at source.
- You can see the results relating to New Forest Knowledge here: British Film Institute
British Library – API
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom and the largest library in the world by number of items catalogued.
- BL results are returned as title, with some basic information and a link that takes you to the individual record on the BL website which details the access options.
- BL data can be commented on but cannot be edited/amended by us. We will feedback any comments, but can’t guarantee any edits will occur at source.
- You can see the results relating to New Forest Knowledge here: British Library
British Pathé – Import
British Pathé is a newsreel archive with over 85,000 films spanning the years from 1896 to 1976. The entire British Pathé archive is available to view online for free via YouTube. As such we have looked to identify the New Forest related material held by British Pathé and write articles around it embedding the videos on the New Forest Knowledge page with some additional information. The result is that the articles can be commented upon and be edited or updated.
- You can see the results relating to New Forest Knowledge here: British Pathe
Contributions – Live
This is content uploaded by you the community of users and local history and archaeology groups. You can see who has created the articles and add comments or suggest edits or point to further information.
- You can see the results relating to New Forest Knowledge here: Contributions
Gazetteer of New Forest Houses – Import
The gazetteer is the result of an MA dissertation for MA in Regional and Local History and Archaeology at the University of Winchester and continues to be a work in progress
- Gazetteer data can be commented on but cannot be edited/amended by us. We will feed back any comments, but can’t guarantee any edits will occur at source.
- You can see the results relating to New Forest Knowledge here: Gazetteer of New Forest Houses
Hampshire Cultural Trust – Import
Hampshire Cultural Trust was established as an independent charity in 2014. It manages and supports 23 attractions that were previously operated by Hampshire County Council and Winchester City Council. It also cares for 2.5 million objects relating to Hampshire’s cultural heritage.
- HCT data is via an import. We will feed back any comments, but can’t guarantee edits at source.
- You can see the results relating to Hampshire Cultural Trust here: Hampshire Cultural Trust
Imperial War Museum – Import
Founded as the Imperial War Museum in 1917, its remit has since expanded to include all conflicts in which British or Commonwealth forces have been involved since 1914.
- Data linked to the IWM is based on work as part of the New Forest Remembers work so can also be found under contributions.
- There is no API to search the IWM database so we recommend you visit the site yourself when undertaking research
- You can see the results relating to New Forest Knowledge here: Imperial War Museum
National Archives – API
The National Archives is a non-ministerial government department and is the official archive of the UK government and for England and Wales; and guardian of some of the nation’s most iconic documents, dating back more than 1,000 years.
- The NA is interrogated using New Forest and Parish names.
- NA Results are returned as title, with some basic information and a link that takes you to the individual record on the NA webpage which details the access options.
- NA data can be commented on but cannot be edited/amended by us. We will feedback any comments, but can’t guarantee any edits will occur at source.
- Please note that due to the immense number of NA records this type of search can return some irrelevant material. If you let us know about this we can teach the system and refine the results
- You can see the results relating to New Forest Knowledge here: National Archives
New Forest Centre Collections – API
The New Forest Centre’s Christopher Tower New Forest Reference Library houses the most comprehensive collection of books, maps, reports and ephemera on the New Forest available to the public in a single location.
- NFC data can be commented on but cannot be edited/amended through New Forest Knowledge. However as one of the project partners any feedback and comments will be considered and required edits will occur at source.
- There are 9 different NFC collections to explore which you can access here: New Forest Centre Collections
New Forest Remembers – Import
All of the material generated by the New Forest Remembers project has been imported into New Forest Knowledge as contributions. This means that people or groups who contributed to New Forest Remembers will have their articles and research linked to them on New Forest Knowledge.
This approach means that the New Forest Remembers research and results can continue to grow, be refined and updated with the overall goal to provide more insights in to the New Forest and the impact of WWI and WWII.
- NFR data can be commented upon and be edited or updated.
- You can see the results relating to New Forest Knowledge here: New Forest Remembers
Portable Antiquities Scheme – API
The Portable Antiquities Scheme is a DCMS funded project to encourage the voluntary recording of archaeological objects found by members of the public in England and Wales.
- PA data can be commented on but cannot be edited/amended by us. We will feedback any comments, but can’t guarantee any edits will occur at source.
- You can see the results relating to New Forest Knowledge here: Portable Antiquities Scheme