The Registers Of Walter Bronescombe 1257-1280 & Peter Quinel 1280-1291 Bishop's Of Exeter

The Registers of Bishops Bronescombe & Quinel, Exeter 1257-1291

Please Note the registers are in Latin

Step into the world of your 13th-century ancestors and discover a time before standard parish records began.

For the dedicated genealogist and historian, the High Middle Ages can feel like a silent era. But the records are not lost—they are waiting to be unlocked. This definitive edition of the Registers of Bishops Walter Bronescombe and Peter Quinel provides an unparalleled, direct line into the lives of people in the South West of England during the pivotal reigns of Henry III and Edward I.

These are not just dry administrative documents; they are the vibrant, original manuscripts that recorded the daily workings of the Diocese of Exeter. Within these pages, your ancestors' names may appear—not just the great and the good, but the farmers, merchants, clerics, and families who formed the backbone of medieval Devon, Cornwall, and beyond.

What You Will Discover Inside:

This meticulously transcribed and edited collection brings the original Latin to life, offering you direct access to invaluable primary source material, including:

Ordination Lists: Discover the names of countless local clergymen, the specific holy orders they received (acolyte, subdeacon, deacon, priest), and the exact dates of their ordination. A crucial resource for tracing clerical careers.

Clerical Appointments (Institutions): Follow the movements of priests as they are presented and instituted to specific parishes and benefices. These entries often name the patron of the living (a local lord or monastery), providing vital clues about land ownership and influence.

Marriage & Dispensation Licenses: Find rare mentions of your lay ancestors as they sought episcopal permission for marriages that were within a prohibited degree of kinship or for other personal matters. These records provide unique insights into family relationships.

Wills & Testaments: Locate copies of wills proved in the bishop's court, revealing details about personal property, land holdings, bequests to family, and pious gifts to the church.

Judicial Records: Delve into the records of the consistory court, where disputes over tithes, marriage contracts, inheritance, and moral offences were settled. Here you will find the names of ordinary people caught up in legal battles.

Licenses & Mandates: Uncover licenses for private chapels, "leper houses," absences, and more, offering a fascinating glimpse into the religious and social fabric of the time.

Why This Edition is Indispensable for Your Research:

Comprehensive Coverage: This single volume seamlessly bridges the episcopacies of two significant bishops, providing over 30 years of continuous records from 1257 to 1291.
Accessible Scholarship: Presented in a clear, edited format, often with translations or summaries, making the complex Latin of the original registers accessible to all researchers.
A Master Index: A comprehensive index of persons and places is your key to unlocking this treasure trove. Quickly locate the surnames and villages relevant to your family tree or local history project.