The sources available for studying the history of towns and cities are both extensive and diverse. Stephen Porter here presents a guide to where the relevant primary source materials and secondary works are mostly readily available, how to interpret them once found and how far to accept the evidence they produce. The period covered stretches from the Tudors to the early 20th century, during which time there were significant changes in both the scale of towns and the recording of information. After a general introduction giving advice on the practicalities of research, suceeding chapters deal with; population and society; civic administration; government and the courts; and culture and leisure. The sources covered are wide-ranging, from militaria returns and parliamentary papers to guide books and fire insurance plans, and the origin and provenance of each type of record are described.