Southwell Chapter Records

The Chapter of Southwell was the religious body responsible for the running of the Southwell Minster and its estates.

The chapter also administered church courts separate to the Archbishop's jurisdiction, known as the Peculiar Court of Southwell. They were responsible for granting marriage licences to, and proving the wills of people who lived in the following parishes:

• Beckingham
• Bleasby
• Blidworth
• Calverton
• Carlton on Trent
• Caunton
• Cropwell Bishop
• Darlton
• Dunham
• Eaton
• Edingley
• Farnsfield
• Halam
• Halloughton
• Holme
• Kirklington
• North Leverton
• Morton
• North Muskham
• South Muskham
• Norwell
• Oxton
• Ragnall
• Rampton
• Southwell
• South Wheatley
• Upton
• Woodborough.

People who lived in other parishes would receive marriage licences from and have their wills proved by another local church court, or in the majority of cases, the Archdeaconry Court of Nottingham. Wills and inventories proved at the Archdeaconry Court of Nottingham are held at Nottinghamshire Archives. All other Archdeaconry Court records, including marriage licence records, are held at the University of Nottingham.

Main groups of documents

Main groups of documents include:

Chapter records

Coverage: 1470 - 1848
The business of the Chapter including appointments, property transactions and some judicial cases are recorded in the Chapter registers, Decree books and minute books.

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Property records

Coverage: 1106 - 1847
Records relating to the Chapter estates include a mediaeval cartulary, the Registrum Album and Registers of leases. There are also records of the various peculiars including manorial court rolls and leases of the chapters and prebendal estates.

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Finance records

Coverage: 18th - 19th centuries
Account books include the Receiver General of rents (1812 - 1848) and revenues of the chapter property.

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Court records

Coverage: 1742 - 1857
Ecclesiastical courts had jurisdiction over probate, matrimonial cases, defamation, moral offences, clergy discipline, non-attendance at church, tithes and cases relating to the fabric and furnishings of churches. Court records include Act Books and Visitation and Correction books.

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Marriage licences

Coverage: 1585 - 1853
Most people were married by banns, in other words, a notice announcing their marriage was displayed in the parish church for three weeks before the wedding.

It was also possible to marry by licence. By paying a higher fee, a couple could obtain a licence from the church court which meant that banns were not published and couples could marry more quickly.

To obtain a marriage licence, the groom made a formal statement called an allegation which included an oath that there was no legal impediment to the marriage. Until 1823 bonds were also often issued, which were assurances that the marriage would take place in a particular church. A licence was then issued to the couple and was valid for three months.

Licences can supply genealogical data similar to marriage registers, such as age and occupation.

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How to find the document you want

There is a partial catalogue of the Southwell Chapter records available in the Archives search room. Marriage licences are arranged by date order and indicate the relevant parties in the catalogue.

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