From September 2011, we are open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays 10-12:30 and 2-5 by appointment only. You may book a morning, afternoon or both sessions but be aware that you will need to leave the archive at lunchtime. Please contact us well in advance of your visit as our searchroom is very small and we are often fully booked. We are closed for a month in the summer, during Holy Week, the Christmas and Easter Octaves and other holydays.
The collection is the private archive of the Archbishop of Westminster and certain other Catholic institutions. We are happy to assist you as far as possible with your research but be aware that there is no automatic right of access to this material. As with other archives, material from the past 30 years or containing sensitive information is not available for consultation.
On your first visit to the archive, you will need to register as a reader. In order to do this, you must bring two forms of identification: proof of name with signature such as a passport, credit or debit card or driver's licence and proof of address such as a utility bill, credit card or bank statement, tenancy agreement or insurance policy. Bills and statements must be three months old or less. Failure to provide these documents may lead to you being denied access to the collections.
Depending on the nature of your research and the collections you wish to access, we may ask you to provide a letter of introduction from someone known to you in a formal capacity such as an academic supervisor or colleague, archivist, employer or parish priest. We will let you know if this is necessary when you make an appointment to visit.
If you are unable to visit in person, we can occasionally provide a paid research service. Please contact us for more information
