The Ward family, Viscounts Dudley and Ward, and later Earls of Dudley, were the major landholders in the area.
The Dudley Estate archive, which has been deposited here (catalogue Ref: DE), dates from the 12th to the 20th century, and covers:
It includes title deeds, leases, wills, settlements, mortgages, manorial and estate records and material relating to mining.
The Viscounts Dudley and Ward were lords of the manors of Dudley, Kingswinford, Sedgley and Rowley Regis, and much manorial material survives. There are very few personal records, of either family or their staff.
