Professor Pugh, who has been Editor of this History since 1949 and who is retiring in September this year, here describes the aims and achievements of this world-famous series since its inception in 1899. It is, he explains, a work designed to narrate encyclopaedically the history of the English counties on a basis of original research. He shows how the various county 'sets' are organized and what steps are taken to co-ordinate the work of different local editors throughout the country so as to secure a high and uniform degree of technical proficiency. He argues that English topographical techniques can profitably be studied by other countries who may wish to initiate regional historical studies.