England Church Records: Difference between revisions

Although a nationwide order was given in 1538 that each parish keep a register of records, many parishes did not start to keep registers until some years later and some records have since been lost or destroyed. Beginning in 1598, copies of entries from many parishes were copied and sent annually to the bishop for the diocese for that area and these copies are known as Bishop’s Transcripts. For Lincolnshire, many Bishop's transcripts began as early as 1561. Archdeacon transcripts exist for many Kent County as well; some as early 1560.  

'''Parish. '''Each local parish keeps records. A ''parish'' is the jurisdictional unit that governs church affairs within its boundaries. Small villages often do not have their own parishes but are part of a parish headquartered in another town. A parish may have one or more ''chapelries,'' dependent district churches or chapels of ease, which often keep their own records.  

'''Chapelry.''' A small parochial division of a large, populated parish. Most chapels or chapelries kept their own registers of baptisms and burials, and where authorization was granted, marriages were performed and registers kept. Occasional parishes throughout England, but especially most of Lancashire's 60-plus parishes, and many in Cheshire were comprised of numerous chapelries, i.e. Parish of Prestbury, Cheshire--many chapels of ancient origin and with 24 chapels overall by 1850 (see Lewis' [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/source.aspx?pubid=445 ''Topographical Dictionary of England''] for pre-1848 and, for post-1848 chapelries--see the [http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/descriptions/index.jsp ''Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales''] for even more). To view all those chapelries attached to and lying within Lancashire's largest parishes, see the "[[Comprehensive Lists of Lancashire's Chapelries in Its Largest Cities and Township Parishes]]" under the names of each of its large parishes, here.  

== Church of England Records  ==