# UK National Archives Discovery (pypi · tna-discovery-mcp)

Search the UK National Archives' Discovery catalogue; find Chelsea pensioners' papers in WO 97.

- Trust score: 79/100 (medium)
- Registry status: active
- Liveness: live
- Owner verified: no
- Last scored: 2026-10-18

## Components

- pypi · `tna-discovery-mcp`: 79/100 (this document), [markdown](https://verifymcp.io/servers/ianderso-tna-discovery-mcp/tna-discovery-mcp.md), [page](https://verifymcp.io/servers/ianderso-tna-discovery-mcp/tna-discovery-mcp)

## Channel facts

- Registry: `pypi`
- Package: `tna-discovery-mcp`
- Version: `0.1.0`
- Transport: `stdio`

## Trust breakdown

How this component scores in each security and reliability category. Every signal is checked automatically from public evidence about the published package, including repeated runs of it in an isolated sandbox, and we only credit what we can confirm. Scores are 0–100 per category. Scoring method: https://verifymcp.io/docs/scoring (what has changed: https://verifymcp.io/docs/scoring/changelog)

Scored 2026-10-18.

- **Supply Chain Security**: 100/100
  - No malware found by supply-chain analysis.
  - No known CVEs affecting this package version or its production dependencies.
  - Runs hatchling.build at install time, a recognised build step with no custom scripting around it.
  - 1 of 32 dependencies flagged as unhealthy.
- **Provenance & Transparency**: 100/100
  - Source repository is publicly reachable at the declared URL.
  - Cryptographically verified build provenance (signed, bound to ianderso/tna-discovery-mcp).
  - Clear OSI-approved license (MIT).
  - Actively maintained (last published 6 days ago).
  - Publishes a security disclosure policy (SECURITY.md).
- **Schema Quality & AI Usability**: 61/100
  - AI-judged instruction clarity (good).
  - Context-footprint check failed: tool/resource definitions use about 1198 tokens (~239/item across 5 items; 5 tools + 0 resources), over budget; trim descriptions and params.
  - Usage-examples check failed: none of the tools include examples.
- **Stability & Change Management**: 0/100
  - Stability not yet verified: not enough scan history yet (needs a 30-day window).
- **Tool Coverage**: 100/100
  - 100% of tools have a non-trivial description (not blank, and not just the tool's name).
  - 100% of tool parameters carry a description.
- **Tool Safety**: 100/100
  - No prompt-injection markers were found in the server instructions, tool names or descriptions we captured.
  - We read all 5 captured tool definition(s), and no name or description among them implies an irreversible operation.
  - An AI judge read all 6 captured unit(s) of tool text and found none that tries to manipulate the model reading it.
- **Capabilities**: 100/100
  - Implements a current MCP spec version (2026-07-28).

**Unverified: 1 category.** A category scored 0 because we could not verify it: a data source with nothing on this package, evidence we could not reach, or a check we could not run. We only credit what we can confirm.

## Install

### How do I install the UK National Archives Discovery MCP server?

UK National Archives Discovery runs locally as a PyPI package, launched with uvx tna-discovery-mcp. Ready-made configuration for Claude, Cursor, VS Code, Codex and 5 more is on this page, copied from each client's own documentation.

### Claude

```bash
claude mcp add ianderso-tna-discovery-mcp -- uvx tna-discovery-mcp
```

### Cursor

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ianderso-tna-discovery-mcp": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "tna-discovery-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

### VS Code

```json
{
  "servers": {
    "ianderso-tna-discovery-mcp": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "tna-discovery-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

### Codex

```bash
codex mcp add ianderso-tna-discovery-mcp -- uvx tna-discovery-mcp
```

### opencode

```json
{
  "$schema": "https://opencode.ai/config.json",
  "mcp": {
    "ianderso-tna-discovery-mcp": {
      "type": "local",
      "command": [
        "uvx",
        "tna-discovery-mcp"
      ],
      "enabled": true
    }
  }
}
```

### OpenClaw

```bash
openclaw mcp add ianderso-tna-discovery-mcp --command uvx --arg tna-discovery-mcp
```

### Hermes

```yaml
mcp_servers:
  ianderso-tna-discovery-mcp:
    command: "uvx"
    args: ["tna-discovery-mcp"]
```

### Netclaw

```json
{
  "McpServers": {
    "ianderso-tna-discovery-mcp": {
      "Transport": "stdio",
      "Command": "uvx",
      "Arguments": [
        "tna-discovery-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

### Vellum

```bash
assistant mcp add ianderso-tna-discovery-mcp -t stdio -c uvx -a tna-discovery-mcp
```

### Other

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ianderso-tna-discovery-mcp": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "tna-discovery-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

## Changelog

Every change recorded for this component, newest first. Days that predate change tracking, or that we cannot explain, say so: "we were watching and nothing happened" and "we were not watching" are different claims.

### 2026-10-14 (score 79, +29)

- [security improvement] Injection markers: unverified → pass
- [security] First check of Judged manipulation: pass
- [security] Stability: Stability not yet verified: not enough scan history yet (needs a 30-day window).
- [functional improvement] Tool coverage: unverified → 100
- [functional improvement] MCP protocol: unverified → pass
- [functional] First check of Schema quality: fail
- [functional] First check of Destructive annotations: pass
- [functional] First check of Schema quality: fail
- [functional] First check of Schema quality: good
- [functional] First check of Tool coverage: 100

### 2026-10-13 (score 50, +15)

- [security improvement] Malware scan: unverified → pass

### 2026-10-12 (score 35)

First indexed and scored.

## MCP tools (5)

### `search_records` (~336 tokens)

Search Discovery's catalogue descriptions: TNA's records and 2,500 other archives'.

Dates select records whose covering dates overlap the range. Each hit has
its id (for get_record), reference, description, covering dates, holding
archive, `digitised` (TNA holds an image) and the record's page. A WO 97
item also carries `soldier`, its description parsed. Hits are finding
aids, not records; a zero covers only what was searched.

Input parameters:

- `count` (integer): Hits per page (1-100).
- `date_from` (string): Covering dates from: '1831' or '1831-06-15'.
- `date_to` (string): Covering dates to: '1834' or '1834-12-31'.
- `department` (string): A TNA department code, e.g. 'WO' or 'HO'.
- `held_by` (string): 'tna' for TNA's own records, 'other' for other archives', or an Archon code such as '182'. Default all.
- `page` (integer): Page of results, 1-based.
- `query` (string): Words to find in descriptions, e.g. 'atkinson manchester'. All words must match; OR, NOT, "phrases" and a trailing * work.
- `series` (string): A series code, e.g. 'WO 97' or 'PROB 11'.
- `sort` (string): Order. Relevance ties shuffle between pages; page with 'reference' or 'date'.

### `get_record` (~183 tokens)

Read one catalogue description in full, with its hierarchy and how to cite it.

A reference must be exact and costs one more request than an id. For a
WO 97 item (soldiers' discharge papers, 1760-1854) `soldier` parses the
description into name, birthplace, county, regiments, discharge age and
year, service years and an estimated birth year, keeping `original`.
\`images` says where the record itself can be read: this is a finding aid.

Input parameters:

- `hierarchy` (boolean): Also read where the record sits: department, series, piece. One request.
- `id_or_reference` (string, required): A record id from a search, e.g. 'C8853102', or a catalogue reference, e.g. 'WO 97/1211/256' or 'WO 12'.

### `browse` (~181 tokens)

List the records one level below a series, sub-series or piece, in catalogue order.

Walks down department, series, sub-series, piece, item. WO 97's pieces to
1854 each hold one regiment's men, alphabetically; WO 12 lists regiments,
then a piece per year. For one regiment in one year, search_records with
\`series` is quicker. No children means a piece or item with nothing
described below it, or an unknown id.

Input parameters:

- `after` (string): To continue, the `next_after` value of the previous answer.
- `limit` (integer): Children to return (1-200).
- `reference_or_id` (string, required): A series, sub-series or piece: a reference such as 'WO 12' or 'WO 97/1211', or a record id.

### `find_soldier` (~245 tokens)

Find a soldier's discharge papers in WO 97 (Chelsea pensioners, 1760-1854), parsed.

Searches the name in WO 97 and keeps the men whose names, discharge year,
regiment and birthplace fit, each with his TNA reference, regiments,
birthplace, discharge age and an estimated birth year. Only men
discharged to a pension are here. Spellings vary (HARGRAVES alias
HARGREAVES): try variants and a trailing *. Same name is not same man.

Input parameters:

- `birthplace` (string): Words of the birthplace or county, e.g. 'Lancashire'.
- `discharged_from`: Earliest discharge year.
- `discharged_to`: Latest discharge year.
- `forename` (string): Forename(s), e.g. 'John'.
- `page` (integer): Page of the name search, 500 descriptions each.
- `regiment` (string): Words of a regiment, e.g. '33rd Foot'; matched loosely.
- `surname` (string, required): Surname, e.g. 'Atkinson'. A trailing * matches spellings that begin so: 'Hargr*'.

### `budget_status` (~25 tokens)

Report today's requests against the daily budget, and the last error. No network call.

## Diagnostics

Captured diagnostic sections: Provenance, Install scripts, Dependencies. The full working is on the page: https://verifymcp.io/servers/ianderso-tna-discovery-mcp/tna-discovery-mcp#diagnostics

## Score history

- 2026-10-18: 79
- 2026-10-17: 79
- 2026-10-16: 79
- 2026-10-15: 79
- 2026-10-14: 79
- 2026-10-13: 50
- 2026-10-12: 35

## Common questions

### What is the UK National Archives Discovery MCP server?

UK National Archives Discovery is an MCP server listed in the public MCP registry as io.github.ianderso/tna-discovery-mcp. Search the UK National Archives' Discovery catalogue; find Chelsea pensioners' papers in WO 97. This page covers its PyPI package (tna-discovery-mcp).

### Is the UK National Archives Discovery MCP server safe to use?

UK National Archives Discovery scores 79 out of 100 on VerifyMCP. We found no known CVEs affecting it as of 18 October 2026. Its build provenance is signed and verified. That is a record of what we were able to check automatically, not an endorsement. The category breakdown on this page shows every signal behind the number, including the ones we could not confirm.

### What tools does the UK National Archives Discovery MCP server expose?

UK National Archives Discovery exposes 5 tools: search_records, get_record, browse, find_soldier, budget_status. Their descriptions and schemas cost roughly 970 tokens of context every time the server is loaded.

### Is the UK National Archives Discovery MCP server still maintained?

UK National Archives Discovery is still listed as active in the MCP registry. We last reached this channel on 18 October 2026. Those dates come from our own scans of the registry and the channel itself, not from anything the publisher announced.

### What licence is the UK National Archives Discovery MCP server under?

UK National Archives Discovery declares the MIT licence, which is OSI-approved. That covers the source only, and says nothing about the cost of any service it calls.

## Links

- PyPI project: https://pypi.org/project/tna-discovery-mcp/
- Socket report: https://socket.dev/pypi/package/tna-discovery-mcp
- Repository: https://github.com/ianderso/tna-discovery-mcp
- Changelog RSS feed: https://verifymcp.io/servers/ianderso-tna-discovery-mcp/tna-discovery-mcp.xml
- Changelog JSON feed: https://verifymcp.io/servers/ianderso-tna-discovery-mcp/tna-discovery-mcp.json
- HTML version of this page: https://verifymcp.io/servers/ianderso-tna-discovery-mcp/tna-discovery-mcp