A substantial number of the records within the collection concern the administration of the various estates and manors before their purchase by Vanneck. There are lengthy series of medieval court records for the manors of Aldham, Cratfield, Huntingfield, Laxfield, and Leiston Abbey, dating from the 13th century. A few medieval account rolls, rentals and surveys also survive. There is a volume for a Court of “Hethwarmot” (c1504-1518), which dealt with matters relating to right of wreck, ie goods found at sea and luxury fish such as porpoises and sturgeon.

Around 150 title deeds, mainly relating to the manorial holdings, survive from the late 12th century to the mid-16th century. Further records relating to some of these manors are held at Suffolk Record Office.

The collection includes extensive records relating to estate administration and husbandry from the 19th century up to the middle of the 20th century. There are numerous series of accounts recording wages and day-to-day expenses of working estates. Livestock is recorded in herd books. The collection of estate maps and plans is substantial, with most dating from the 18th and 19th centuries. There is one from 1635.

There are 8 bundles of political papers relating to the pocket borough of Dunwich, which was held by members of the Vanneck family.

There is only a small amount of personal papers, most notable of which are letters between Anne Bedingfield and the Paston family in relation to a proposed marriage between their children, dating from 1578 to 1580.

The best known section of this collection consists of papers of the Arcedeckne family of Glevering Hall, Suffolk, relating to their estates in Suffolk and Jamaica, c.1744-1848. Charles Andrew Vanneck, third Baron Huntingfield, married Louisa, only daughter of Andrew Arcedeckne, in 1839. There are direct references in these records to enslaved people and slavery. Some of the letters in this section of the collection were published on Southampton University's Slavery and Revolution website.