Hatton Wood Collection

Documents from the 12 to the 19th centuries relating to religious houses and communities including Sempringham, Christ Church, Canterbury, Waltham, St.Werburgh's, Chester, Pipewell, Robertsbridge and Whalley. Many charters retain their seals, some of which are rare. Several royal grants, some with fine seals, are preserved in the collection and numerous deeds relate to some 25 English counties, Kent being most fully represented. Staffordshire is represented by eight items, the most significant being the 1440 inspeximus by letters patent under the great seal confirming previous charters granted to the burgesses of Stafford. A fragment of the seal is appended by silk cords. Within the Hatton Wood collection is an archive of the Legh family of Norbury Booths Hall, near Knutsford in Cheshire. This consists of approximately 360 items, almost entirely muniments of title dating from before 1500. Material relating to Knutsford, Torkington, Mobberley, Rostherne and Ollerton predominates.

The collection was amassed by Richard Henry Wood (1820-1908) of Hatton Wood, Lancashire. Wood was a historian of Lancashire and Cheshire. The collection is rich in documents relating to religious houses and other communities dating from the twelfth to the fifteenth centuries.

Reference: Keele University, Special Collections and Archives Raymond Richards Collection (http://www.keele.ac.uk/depts/li/specarc/archives/richards.htm). Accessed December 2001.

The collection forms part of the Raymond Richards Collection.

There are no restrictions on access to these papers. Viewing is by prior appointment.

The Hatton Wood Collection was deposited in the John Rylands Library, Manchester, in 1940 by Captain J. Hatton Wood and purchased by Raymond Richards from Mrs Hatton Wood in 1953. The collection was subsequently purchased by Keele from Mr. Raymond Richards in 1957 along with his other collections then on deposit in the John Rylands.

English, Latin

The collection is listed. Finding aids may be consulted in Special Collections and Archives at Keele University, and at the National Register of Archives in London. Collection level descriptions also exist for the Raymond Richards Collection (GB 172 RR), Lord North Papers (GB172 RRN), and the Meysey Thompson Muniments (GB 172 RRMT).

An authority record exists for Raymond Richards (GB 152 AAR1978) and for Richard Henry Wood (GB 152 AAR2057).

There are no restrictions on the use of this archive, apart from the requirements of copyright law.

Further deposits are not expected.

Other papers within the Raymond Richards Collection include: groups of family papers, The Meysey Thompson Muniments, Lord North Papers, William Davenport and Company papers and a miscellaneous collection.

Works relating to the material

Reference: Taylor, F. 'The Hatton Wood Manuscripts in the John Rylands Library' Bulletin of the John Rylands Library (24, Manchester, 1940).

Reference: Taylor, F. 'Ecclesiastical, Monastic and Local Seals, 12th-17th century from the Hatton Wood MSS. in the John Rylands Library' Bulletin of the John Rylands Library (30, Manchester, 1947).

English, Latin