The Churchill Archives Centre

The Churchill Archives Centre is a world-leading collection of 20th Century history.

“The aim of this venture is to make the College a major centre of historical research into what might be termed the Churchill Era, where scholars will be able to find a great mass of inter-related material gathered together under a single roof.” Sir John Cockcroft, Master of Churchill, 14 July 1967

Purpose-built in 1973 to house Sir Winston Churchill's Papers, the Churchill Archives Centre is now home to the papers of almost 600 important political, military and scientific figures from the Churchill era and after. Contemporaries of Winston Churchill sit alongside major political, military and scientific figures such as: Margaret Thatcher, Ernest Bevin, John Major, Neil Kinnock, Admiral Ramsay, Field Marshal Slim, Frank Whittle and Rosalind Franklin.

Situated within the grounds of Churchill College, itself the national and Commonwealth memorial to Sir Winston, the Archives Centre is a valuable academic and cultural research hub. Its collections form one of the country’s most important sources for twentieth-century British history. The Archives Centre's mission is to preserve and make available to the public the unique materials in its care.

Stay up to date with history

Take a look at the latest Archives blog entries below.

We're launching a lecture series, 'Talking about History'. Check out our website for more details:… twitter.com/i/web/status/9…

Churchill Archives
Follow @chuarchives 19 hours ago

Happy birthday, British Diplomatic Oral History Programme!

The BDOHP celebrates the big 20 with a workshop at Churchill Archives Centre.

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“Practically perfect in every way”

The results of our user survey are in.

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RT @AllenPackwood: These are all and open events. do come and join the conversation @ChurchillCol @wcmtuk twitter.com/ChuArchives/st…

Churchill Archives
Follow @chuarchives 18 hours ago

First recipient of new arts and humanities studentship reflects on his year at Churchill

Last year Churchill College' set up a new fully-funded MPhil studentship in the arts and humanities linked to the Churchill Archives Centre. The first holder of this studentship, Robert Littleton ...

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RT @CherishWatton: Excited to be starting a new chapter at @ChurchillCol and @ChuArchives as an MPhil student in Modern British History :-)

Churchill Archives
Follow @chuarchives 2 days ago

A picture is worth a thousand words

Lunch in honour of David Coombs, expert in the paintings of Sir Winston Churchill.

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#otd in 1960 an offer letter was sent from the Senior Tutor @ChurchillCol for the first undergraduate place!… twitter.com/i/web/status/9…

Churchill Archives
Follow @chuarchives 21 hours ago

RT @ChurchillCol: Revealing the personal side of the atomic scientist who changed the world ow.ly/ICF130feTmN #SirJohnCockcroft #Phys…

Churchill Archives
Follow @chuarchives 2 days ago

Cataloguing Update: The Mark Abrams Papers

Work on the papers of the social scientist Mark Abrams.

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RT @AllenPackwood: This will be a fun event on Friday. Interested parties in Cambridge are welcome to attend @ChuArchives https://t.co/wQqb…

Churchill Archives
Follow @chuarchives 2 days ago

Sir John Cockcroft and Lady Cockcroft at home in 1 South Drive Harwell, Picture Post 7 Dec 1946.

Revealing the personal side of the atomic scientist who changed the world

Sir John Cockcroft was one of the most important and influential scientists of the modern era. He was the joint winner of the Nobel Prize for Physics (1951) for his ...

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Churchill College

Safeguarding millions of historic documents, the Churchill Archives Centre preserves history in the raw — a place where the modern history of Britain is open and accessible to all.