These sites have all been used by me and I have found them very useful
Family Historians & Genealogists Support Sites
This is the place for researchers to gather ... for those who are now ready to move on from personal family research to the wider view of researching life in 19th & 20th century Britain. There are multiple links to other sites that facilitate research across a broad range of subjects. Members of the Society participate in joint research projects, as well as individual projects.
Course DA301 that deals with family & community history research. I did this course and really enjoyed it. I recommend this one.
Have a huge commitment to community research, very supportive for off line research of an academic nature, though if you need access to their huge database of information be prepared to shell out some hard cash.
Have just embarked upon a distance learning course for local history that will get you a diploma if you pass. Seems an expensive course, but you can complete it in one year, whereas the Open University diploma can take 2 -3 years, and probably overall costs the same. I have just "signed up" for this one.
Old Maps of Great Britain View on-line the early maps of Great Britain, many show individual buildings within early towns and villages. Here is an example of Kelsall in the 19th century, or go directly to http://www.old-maps.co.uk/ and search for your own map!