The Register Of Thomas Spofford Bishop Of Hereford 1422-1448

Unlock the Secrets of 15th-Century Herefordshire: The Register of Thomas Spofford, Bishop of Hereford (1422-1448)

Please Note the register is in Latin

Step into the tumultuous and fascinating world of late medieval England. This meticulously preserved register is not just a book; it is a time capsule from the reign of the pious but unfortunate King Henry VI, a time when the shadows of the Hundred Years' War were lengthening and the seeds of the Wars of the Roses were being sown.

For the genealogist and local historian, the Register of Thomas Spofford is an indispensable primary source, offering a direct line to the lives, loves, and litigations of your ancestors living in the Diocese of Hereford over 600 years ago.

What Genealogical Treasures Await You Inside?
Bishop's registers are the bedrock of medieval research. Within these pages, you can discover details that are simply unavailable elsewhere:

Ordination Records: Trace the clerical careers of your ancestors. Find the names of men ordained as deacons, priests, and acolytes, often with their parish of origin noted.

Marriage Licences & Dispensations: Uncover the unions that formalised family lines. These records are invaluable, especially for marriages that required a special dispensation (e.g., between cousins), providing explicit family connections.

Institutions to Benefices: Follow the appointments of priests to specific parishes throughout Herefordshire. Discover the names of influential patrons who presented clergy, revealing the social and political networks your family was part of.

Wills and Testaments: Locate the last wishes of clergy and prominent laypeople. These documents are goldmines for information on family relationships, property, and cherished possessions.

Episcopal Visitations: Gain a vivid snapshot of life in your ancestor’s parish. These records note the state of the church, the conduct of the clergy, and sometimes even name local witnesses in disputes.

Indulgences & Deeds: Find the names of individuals who paid for spiritual favours or were involved in land transactions and leases with the diocese.

A Register Alive with Famous Names and Historical Giants

This is not just a record of anonymous peasants. The register was compiled during a pivotal moment in English history, when the great nobles of the land wielded immense power. During Bishop Spofford's tenure, the dominant figure in the Welsh Marches and Herefordshire was none other than Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York.

As the heir to the vast Mortimer inheritance, the Duke of York was the most powerful magnate in the region and the future father of Kings Edward IV and Richard III. His influence permeates every aspect of life in 15th-century Herefordshire. Within this register, you may find:

References to the Duke of York himself, his officials, or his agents.
The names of tenants on his sprawling estates, from whom your family may have rented land.
Records of legal disputes involving his network of power.
The spectre of the Mortimer family—whose claim to the throne passed to the Duke of York—also looms large. This register offers a unique, ground-level view of the world on the very eve of the dynastic struggle that would become the Wars of the Roses. You are not just reading about history; you are reading the administrative records from the heart of it.