Visit Cornwall Record Office

Last updated: 22/03/2013 Add to My Bookmarks Subscribe

You are welcome to visit the Record Office to consult the documents in our care. There are no restrictions on who can use the Record Office (although young children may get bored). There is no charge to use the service, but it is advisable to make an appointment.

• Opening hours
• Appointments
• Pre-ordering documents
• Facilities and access
• Getting here and parking
• What to bring
• Production of original material
• Searchroom etiquette
• Laptops and cameras
• List of charges

Opening hours

With the exception of our monthly Collections Weeks, when we are closed to the public, we are open:

• Tuesday 9am – 4:30pm
• Wednesday 9am – 4:30pm
• Thursday 9am – 4:30pm
• Friday 9am – 4:30pm
• One Saturday per month 10am - 1pm (please check the calendar below)

The morning session runs from 9am-1pm and the afternoon session from 1pm-4.30pm.

Our collections weeks are the first full calendar week of each month. Please use the link below for further details on the 2013 opening hours.

• Calendar for Days of Opening 2013

If you have any enquires during our Collections Weeks please email cro@cornwall.gov.uk or for bookings, telephone 01872 323127.

We will be closely monitoring the impact of the new pattern on users and the service.

For further information about the consultation summary that took place during September 2011 and the proposed new hours, please see the link below. Thank you to everyone who responded.

• Consultation Summary

Appointments

Appointments should be made in advance of a visit to the Record Office. They can be for a morning, afternoon or all day session. We recommend pre-ordering the documents you would like to consult.  To make an appointment and pre-order documents please contact the record office using the details on the right. If possible, please allow up to two weeks notice (especially in the summer months) in order to avoid disappointment.

Pre-ordering documents

To help you locate items of interest to you, all the records that are available for consultation are fully described in catalogues and indexes. These are available in the searchroom and online. Each document has a unique reference number, which you will need to request an item. Up to five documents may be pre-ordered by emailing or telephoning the office before your visit.

Please use our online catalogues to find the reference number of records that are of interest to you.

Facilities and access

Situated in Truro, Cornwall Record Office lies in the grounds of the Old County Hall site and is clearly marked by signs stating 'Cornwall Record Office' and 'County Records'.

The building is constructed on one level for easy access and toilets and a seating area are available in the foyer. There are no refreshments available at the Record Office, but a supermarket and café are located very near by.

Wheelchair access tables are available in the searchroom but please contact us before your visit to ensure maximum assistance.

Getting here and parking 

From the West (Penzance/Camborne Direction, A30)

• Leave the A30 at Chiverton Cross onto the A390 into Truro.
• Continue past Treliske Hospital.
• At Dalvenie roundabout (Sainsbury's) take the third exit heading northwest along Treyew Road.
• Take the next left (approximately 150m after the roundabout) to bring you into the Old County Hall site. 
• Cornwall Record Office is the first building on your left.

From the East (Bodmin Direction, A30) 

• From Bodmin, follow the A30 to Carland Cross roundabout.
• Take the second exit onto the A39 towards Truro.
• Continue through the next roundabout to the traffic lights and turn right onto Tregolls Road.
• Follow the road to Trefalgar roundabout and take the third exit.
• Continue towards Redruth.
• At Treyew Road past New County Hall on the left, take the fifth exit off Dalvenie roundabout (Sainsbury's) heading northwest along Treyew Road (going back on yourself).
• Take the next left (approximately 150m after the roundabout) to bring you into the Old County Hall site. 
• Cornwall Record Office is the first building on your left.

A small number of disabled parking spaces are available immediately outside the Record Office and there is a Visitors car park opposite.

The Truro Park and Ride scheme operates a bus service from Langarth Park near Threemilestone into the centre of Truro via County Hall. Please see Park and Ride for details of the service.

From Truro Railway Station

Truro Railway Station with connections to Plymouth, Exeter and London, lies about five minutes walk away (approximately 0.5km).

• On exiting the station turn right (west) on Station Road.
• Take the second left along Avondale Road and continue up through the white gates.
• Keep walking up the hill past the Fire Station.
• Cornwall Record Office is the last building on the right.  

Local bus services operate from the centre of Truro to the Railway Station, please follow the directions above from the Railway Station.

View a map showing location of Cornwall Record Office.

What to bring

Everyone using the Record Office is required to have a valid readers' ticket. If you do not have a CARN ticket from another record office, please bring some identification (with your name, address and signature) and a ticket will be issued to you.

Visitors will also need pencils, as no pens are permitted in the searchroom.

Please leave any bags, briefcases, body pouches, pencil cases, laptop cases, umbrellas, backpacks, coloured document folders or wallets, lever arch files, ring binders and plastic bags in the lockers in the locker room. You may bring laptop computers, transparent document folders or wallets, notebooks, loose papers, glasses, cameras, keys and pencils into the searchroom with you. We can supply a transparent plastic bag to hold these items.

Unless you are wearing your coat, please hang it on the coat hooks provided, or place it in your locker. You will need £1 coins to operate the locker - this is refunded when you have finished using it.

Production of original material

The Record Office operates a system of timed productions. These take place every 30 minutes and in order to ensure the smooth running of the service, we ask that a maximum of 3 document request slips are submitted per collection. Please note that productions are suspended between 12:15pm and 1:30pm.

Searchroom etiquette

In order to keep the records in the best possible condition please do not smoke, eat (including chewing gum and sweets) or drink in the searchroom. Gloves and other preservation aids will be issued with documents, where necessary.

For the benefit of other users, please observe a quiet working atmosphere and ensure that your mobile phone or pager is switched off or in silent mode.

When you arrive you will be asked to sign in the visitors register - signing in means that you agree to abide by the searchroom Conditions of Access.

Laptops and cameras

Mains operated laptop computers may be used in the designated areas at the owner's risk.

Photography is allowed subject to a small charge and the completion of a copyright declaration form. However, we ask that you do not use a flash. The current charges are as follows: £5 per day, £15 per week or £100 per year.

List of charges

There is no charge to access the public searchroom and consult the documents in our care. However we do charge for the following additional services.