Research papers relating to parishes in Nottinghamshire, undated, c.1705

Each sheet bears the name of a parish and responses to numbered questions. There is no record of the questions themselves, but they can be reconstructed from the replies as follows: 1. Are the tithes appropriated? 2. With what is the church endowed? 3. Has there been any augmentation to the benefice? 4. When was the church founded? (before or after the Reformation) 5. Has there been any union with another church, or dismembering of the benefice? 6. Is there a library? 7.What is the yearly value of the benefice? 8.To whom does the advowson belong? 9.Is it conomical with any other place [has the same name]? 10.In which county, Archdeaconry, Deanery or Peculiar is it, and is it taken notice of in the Valor Beneficiorum?

The parishes included are: Adbolton, Averham, Balderton, Barnby in the Willows, Basford, Bingham, Blyth, Broughton, Coddington, Burton Joyce, Car Colston, Clarborough, East Retford, Colston Bassett, Costock, Eaton, Edwalton, Colwick, Eastwood, East Stoke, Egmanton, Gamston, Elston, Bunny, Everton, Flawborough, Gedling, Eaton, Oxton, Kelham, Greasley, Gringley, Grove, Hargrave, Headon, Hickling, Hucknall, Kirton, Kingston, Langar, Laxton, Mansfield, Marnham, Mattersey, Morton, Leake, Willoughby, Linby, Collingham, North and South Leverton, North Wheatley, Radcliffe,

Nottingham, Nuthall, Ordsall, Ruddington, Ragnall, Rampton, Scrooby, Norwell, Elton, Whatton, Weston, Rolleston, Plumtree, Selston, Shelford, Wysall, Walkeringham, Southwell, Stanford, Staunton, Sutton in Ashfield, Upton, Sutton cum Lound, Sutton on Trent, Thorney, Thorpe, Tollerton, Tuxford, Walesby and Syerston.

The origin of these research papers can in part be determined by internal evidence. The collection comprises 87 leaves of manuscript notes, containing details of some of the parishes of Nottinghamshire. The notes are largely undated, but four sheets are dated between 15 and 21 October 1705, and the formulaic nature of the notes suggests that all were written at a similar time. The information was apparently submitted in answer to an advertised request. The sheet for Colwick states that it is 'an answer to some queries proposed by a Revd Divine of the Church of England upon his Asking [later altered to 'Publishing'] the present State of Parish Churches', while that for Edwalton stated that it is 'a particular answer to the several queries in the advertizement'.

The notes were originally written and signed by the various incumbents of the parishes involved, but were subsequently copied out and now appear in one hand, probably that of the compiler, who remains unknown. The compiler also wrote the name of the county at the top of each sheet, and a three or four figure number, apparently relating to a filing sequence which is now obscure. The sheets were then arranged alphabetically by parish and, in another hand, allocated running numbers starting from 93. This suggests that the pages were part of a wider survey of parishes in England. The inclusion of one stray sheet from Hargrave in Northamptonshire supports this theory.

The sheets have been bound together in a brown paper cover, to which is attached a printed note describing the papers, apparently in the context of a sale catalogue (with the reference 346).

No archival arrangement has been necessary.

ACCESS: Accessible to all registered readers.

LANGUAGE: English

• This description is the only finding aid available for the collection. Copyright on the description belongs to the University of Nottingham.

REPROGRAPHIC: Reprographic copies can be supplied for educational use and private study purposes only, depending on access status and the condition of the documents.

COPYRIGHT: Identification of copyright holders of unpublished material is often difficult. Permission to make any published use of any material from the collection must be sought in advance in writing from the Keeper of Manuscripts and Special Collections (email mss-library@nottingham.ac.uk).

The collection was given to the University of Nottingham's Department of Manuscripts in July 1960.