The guide surveys the half-million British historical manuscripts in the Huntington collections, which range from the eleventh to the twentieth centuries. Included are full summaries of four major archival collections: the Battle Abbey, the Ellesmere, the Hastings, and the Stowe. Substantial description is also given for other collections of forty or more pieces and for the many notable separate manuscripts. This book also includes a selective bibliography of previous printings of the material and a comprehensive index.