Visit us

Please provide a list of the documents you wish to see during your visit to Barrow, Carlisle, Kendal or Whitehaven Archives by emailing the relevant archive centre. This will help us to make sure your documents will be ready for you on arrival. Our catalogues webpage and online catalogue (CASCAT) can assist you finding the documents you require.

Documents can also be ordered on the day of your visit for Carlisle and Whitehaven, but we may not always be able to produce documents on demand due to staff availability.

Please also be aware that some documents are held at an outstore and 7 days' notice is required for access to these advance order collections.

Final productions of original documents from strongrooms are made 30 minutes before lunch and evening closures.

Barrow Archive Centre: Wednesday to Friday: 9.30 am to 1 pm; 2 pm to 5 pm (closed between 1 pm to 2 pm). Local Studies Library in Barrow Library: Monday to Thursday, 9.30 am to 6 pm, Friday 9.30 to 5 pm; Saturdays, 10 am to 4 pm.

Carlisle Archive Centre: Wednesday to Friday: 9.30 am to 1 pm; 2 pm to 5 pm (closed between 1 pm to 2 pm, the Victorian Kitchen will be open for visitors to stay during the lunch closure but bring your own refreshments). Please also note that Reception at Lady Gillford's House will be closed 12pm to 1pm. Archive users already in the building will be able to exit the building but there will be no admittance of visitors during this hour.

Kendal Archives at Kendal Library: Wednesday to Friday: 10 am to 4 pm (no lunchtime closure)

Whitehaven Archive Centre: Wednesday to Friday: 9.30 am to 12.30 pm; 1.30 pm to 4.30 pm (closed between 12.30 pm to 1.30 pm).

All Centres: Final productions of original documents from strongrooms no later than 30 minutes before lunch and evening closures. 

If you intend to visit Barrow Archive Centre, please note that due to ongoing issues with the retrieval of documents from our strong rooms the following apply:

• One week’s notice is required for bookings to view original records.
• Researchers wishing to view original records must provide a list a week in advance.
• Researchers without a booking will only be provided with material held in the search room, no original records will be retrieved from the strong room. You will still require an ARA Archive card to consult search room sources.

If you intend to visit Carlisle Archive Centre, please note the following:

• 48 hours' notice is required for bookings to view original records.
• Researchers wishing to view original records must provide a list 48 hours in advance.
• Any additions to lists on the day of research will be limited to three items.
• If there are no researchers booked for either the morning or afternoon session, the map room for viewing original records will be closed during this period.
• Researchers without a booking will be permitted only when the map room is already open for booked researchers.
• Drop-in researchers will be limited to three items.
• We remind all researchers that no records will be produced after 4.30pm.
• There are no changes to viewing secondary sources and microfilm records - this search room will still operate on a drop-in basis.

Important changes to access to records at Kendal Archive Centre
Public access to County Offices, Kendal, ceased in October 2024. Kendal Archives Centre is providing an interim public service from the Herdwick Room in the local studies library at Kendal Library, Stricklandgate, Kendal LA9 4PY.  Please note the following important changes to our service:

• Please book an appointment and request records at least three weeks before your intended visit as researcher spaces are limited in the Herdwick Room.
• Our opening hours will change to Wednesdays to Fridays, 10am-4pm (no lunch closure).
• We cannot offer a drop in service at the Herdwick Room - an appointment will be required.
• We are unable to produce certain large maps (over 1.5m) in the Herdwick Room and we will advise you if your order is affected. A digital copy may be available instead.
• We can arrange deposits by prior appointment. Please contact us for further details.

If you intend to visit Whitehaven Archives, please note the following:

• Please book a table and/or microfilm reader in advance as spaces and machines are limited.
• If consulting original documents, please provide a list of references at least 24 hours in advance to allow staff time to produce items. 
• We may be able to produce a few additional items on the day, dependent on staffing. 
• Printed, secondary sources in the Local Studies Library can be viewed on a drop-in basis.
• The building will be closed over lunchtime from 12.30pm till 1.30pm and researchers will be asked to leave the building during that period. 

• Please read our  document handling advice and security guidelines before your visit
• You will now need an ARA Archives Card to see documents - further information below

You will now need an ARA Archives Card to see documents - CARN reader's tickets will no longer be accepted. A passport on its own is not sufficient proof of identification. 

Please apply for an Archives Card online before your visit and bring the necessary proof of identification so we can complete your application. We can complete your application quicker if you have uploaded your own photograph to the scheme online.

We regret that we will not be able to allow access to archives without an Archives Card.

You are welcome to photograph (without flash) documents using a digital or phone camera, free of charge, subject to any copying restrictions for that collection. 

You will be asked to complete a copyright declaration recording your details and the items copied.  Details of our conditions and charges for publication and commercial use of images of archives can be found appended to our media agreement (PDF 120KB) media agreement (Word, 60KB).

We regret that we shall not be able to provide photocopies of documents. This is to reduce handling of both documents and cash. The use of personal document scanners is not permitted.

If you are unable to visit the Archive Centre in person, a list of researchers is available on our website. We are also able to offer a limited enquiry service. Our Digitisation Service can undertake high quality photography of outsize or fragile documents.

Further guidance can be found in our full searchroom rules.