Old handwriting is discovered every day in many different contexts: in the parish church on memorials and stained glass windows, in the family Bible and old letters, in old wills and perhaps even in the title deeds to your home. Until the invention of printing in the fifteenth century, and for most purposes long after, writing was done with pen, pencil, brush or other tool held in the hand. This 'manuscript' handwriting interest both calligraphers, for the way in which it is done, and historians, who need to decipher the content. In this book the authors provide a guide to the development of handwriting through the ages and introduce the reader to the many styles found in old documents in the British Isles.

John Barrett and David Iredale are archivists and have written three other titles for the Shire list: Discovering Your Old House, Discovering Your Family Tree and Discovering Local History