Local

The American soldiers who fought their way through the islands of the Pacific during the Second World War encountered fierce Japanese resistance but few local people. That all changed with the invasion of the Mariana Islands, says Matthew Hughes.

Roy Strong tells York Membery why the humble English parish church is a perpetual source of fascination and refreshment.

Margaret Mehl explains the surprising adoption of two Japanese scholars by their hometowns as major tourist attractions.

Janet L. Nelson looks at the history of this church in the small town in the North-Rhine Westfalia region of western Germany.

With Hong Kong returning to Chinese rule, Roger Thompson looks at when the colony influenced reformers who tried to bring the ballot box to the Middle Kingdom.

Richard Cavendish explores a quantity of bygones in the museum of social history.

Dennis Mills lauds an initiative putting local government and local history together.

Every commune had to have one - Diana Webb explains how the cult of a holy man or woman and civic PR went hand-in- hand in medieval Italy.

Richard Cavendish looks at the BALH, a national body set up to promote the popular subject of local history.

J Mordaunt Crook examines the history of a Gothic church in West London.

Is there a direct link between Julius Caesar, the Rome of the 1st century BC and a medieval world map in Hereford Cathedral? Peter Wiseman investigates the origins and purpose of one of the Age of Chivalry's exhibits.