Its establishment as a formal academic discipline is usually credited to W. G. Hoskins who also popularised the subject with his book The Making of the English Landscape.
The Tudor period saw the publication of national gazetteers (for example Camden) that frequently contained brief local histories.
These writers took an interest in subjects that are currently unfashionable (such as manorial descents), but often contain important details which can be used by a modern local historian.
In 1879 Cox published the first edition of his How to Write the History of a Parish that would be used by local historians and genealogists for many years.
Archivists and societies can provide advice, encouragement, and information; formal courses of study are also widely available.
Similarly Iredale[6] also describes where records may be found and how they can be used, although he originally wrote more than thirty years ago and is somewhat dated in parts.