From Parish Pews to Pixels, discover Suffolk’s past like never before thanks to a new digitisation project between Suffolk County Council’s Suffolk Archives and leading family history platform Ancestry.

More than 400 years of the county’s rich historical heritage will be at your fingertips from 8 August. Millions of records dating back to 1538 will be available online for the first time, with more additional local-interest records to follow.

Records digitised include full-colour, high-quality digital images of parish registers from across the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich. They include key historical moments like the 1776 baptism of the artist John Constable and the 1846 burial of abolitionist Thomas Clarkson.

Until now, these baptism, marriage, confirmation, and burial records were only available on microfiche or in-person. Access will be free at The Hold in Ipswich – the home of Suffolk Archives and at Suffolk Libraries. Viewing from home will require an Ancestry subscription. Royalties will be used to support archive services.

The project has helped preserve fragile historic documents by reducing wear and tear. Suffolk Archives were also able to carry out conservation checks during the scanning process. 

There will be online and in-person how-to use Ancestry beginner sessions following the launch. These will be bookable online at suffolkarchives.co.uk.