Medieval Records

This category encompasses records created before the standardization of parish records in 1538. The primary systems of administration and landholding were the manor and the monastery. These documents can be challenging but are incredibly rewarding for tracing family and property back into the medieval period. Records in this category include: Cartularies & Charters: Manuscript books compiled by monasteries, cathedrals, or landowners containing copies of charters and title deeds. They are essentially the "title deed library" of a major institution, detailing its land holdings and rights. Manorial Records: The administrative records of the manor, the centre of rural life. Manorial Court Rolls: Records of the court baron, which dealt with local customs, land transfers within the manor, and minor disputes. Rentals and Surveys: Lists of tenants, the land they held, and the rents or services they owed to the lord of the manor. Feet of Fines: A common method of recording the final agreement of a land transfer in the royal courts. The "foot" is the copy of the agreement given to the parties involved.