Holdings of Lambeth Palace Library

Archbishops' archives

Please note that, in this page,

• finding aids are indicated in red, with full bibliographic details where appropriate;
• Finding aids  marked with a star (*) are unpublished, and available only at the Library;
• Item reference numbers are given in bold.
• Finding aids marked with a hash (#) are available to purchase exclusively from the Library. Please see details.

1) ARCHBISHOPS' REGISTERS

The registers from Pecham to Laud are described in Smith, D.M. Guide to bishops' registers of England and Wales, (London, Royal Historical Society, 1981: pp. 1-24).

Owen, D.M. Handlist of archbishops' registers, 1279-1928, (typescript, 1960).*

Ducarel, A.C. Indexes to the archbishops' registers, 1279-1757, (manuscript, 18th century).*

Editions

Martin, C.T. (ed) Registrum epistolarum fratris Johannis Peckham, archiepiscope Cantuariensis, (3 vols., Rolls Series, 1882-5).
Omits 'formal documents', for which see following edition.

Davis, F.N. et al (vol.1) & Douie, D.L. (vol. 2) The register of John Pecham, archbishop of Canterbury, 1279-1292, (Canterbury and York Society, vols. 64, 65; 1908-69).

Graham, Rose (ed.) Registrum Roberti Winchelsey, Cantuariensis archiepiscopi, A.D. 1294-1313, (Canterbury and York Society, vols. 51, 52; 1952, 1956).

Wood, A.C. (ed.) Registrum Simonis Langham, Cantuariensis archiepiscopi, [1366-1368], (Canterbury and York Society, vol. 53; 1956).

Jacob, E.F. & Johnson, H.C. (ed.s) The register of Henry Chichele, archbishop of Canterbury, 1414-1443, (Canterbury and York Society, vols. 42, 45-7; 1937-47).

Du Boulay, F.R.H (ed.) Registrum Thome Bourgchier, Cantuariensis archiepiscopi, A.D. 1454-1486, (Canterbury and York Society, vol. 54; 1957).

Harper-Bill, C.J. (ed.) The register of John Morton, archbishop of Canterbury 1486-1500, (Canterbury and York Society, vols. 75, 78, 89; 1987, 1991, 2000).

Wood-Legh, K.L. Kentish visitations of Archbishop Warham and his deputies, 1511-12, (Kent Records, vol. 24, 1984). [transcribed from Warham's register]

Frere, W.H. (ed.) & Thompson, E.M.(transcribed) Registrum Matthei Parker diocesis Cantuariensis, A.D. 1559-1575, (Canterbury and York Society, vols. 35, 36, 39; 1928, 1933).
 

Testamentary records

Smith, J.C. "Index of wills recorded in the archiepiscopal registers at Lambeth Palace" (reprinted from The Genealogist, N.S., vols. 34-5; 1919).
 

"Calendar of Lambeth administrations recorded in the archbishops' registers" (reprinted from The Genealogist, vols. 7-8; 1883-4).
 

 Micropublication of the archbishops' registers, 1272-1640, is available from World Microfilms Publications. This also includes the cartulary of the see of Canterbury (1212).

2) ARCHBISHOPS' PAPERS

The Archbishops' Papers are wide-ranging, covering political and social issues as well as ecclesiastical history in Great Britain and more generally throughout the Anglican Communion. Apart from correspondence this series includes diaries, sermons, newspaper cuttings, and reports on ordinands. The papers are often very extensive; those of Archbishop Davidson running to over 800 volumes and Archbishop Tait to 447 volumes.

The Archbishops' Papers are subject to a thirty-year closure rule.

Barber, M. Early Modern Archbishops' Papers. List of papers, 1664-1824 (typescript).
Includes papers of the following archbishops: Thomas Tenison (1695-1715), John Potter (1737-47), Thomas Herring (1747-57), Matthew Hutton (1757-8), Thomas Secker (1758-68), Frederick Cornwallis (1768-83), John Moore (1783-1805), and Charles Manners Sutton (1805-28). This catalogue is available on the A2A (Access to Archives) website.
 

Sayers, J.E. & Bill, E.G.W  Calendar of the papers of Charles Thomas Longley, archbishop of Canterbury 1862-1868 in Lambeth Palace Library, (London, 1976).#
 

Index to the letters and papers of Archibald Campbell Tait, archbishop of Canterbury, 1868-82, (typescript, 1989).*
The collection covers his earlier career at Oxford and Carlisle, and includes some material, particularly on the church overseas, as bishop of London, though the bulk of this (vols. 105-59) is noted below under Fulham Papers.
 

Index to the letters and papers of Edward White Benson, archbishop of Canterbury, 1883-1896, in Lambeth Palace Library, (London, 1980).#
 

Barber, M Index to the letters and papers of Frederick Temple, archbishop of Canterbury, 1896-1902, in Lambeth Palace Library, (1975).#
 

Catalogue of the correspondence and papers of Randall Thomas Davidson, archbishop of Canterbury, 1903-1928,  (typescript, 1993).*
The papers cover his entire career as chaplain to both Archbishop Tait (1876-1882) and Archbishop Benson (1883), dean of Windsor (1883-1891), bishop of Rochester (1891-5) and of Winchester (1895-1903), and from 1903 as archbishop of Canterbury.
 

Summary catalogue of the papers of Cosmo Gordon Lang, archbishop of Canterbury, 1928-1942, (typescript, 1986).*
 

Summary catalogue of the papers of William Temple, archbishop of Canterbury, 1942-1944, (typescript, 1981).*
 

Aspin, R.K. & Pick, G. Catalogue of the correspondence and papers of Geoffrey Francis Fisher, archbishop of Canterbury, 1945-1961, (typescript, 1993).*
 

Catalogue and index of the correspondence and papers of Michael Ramsey, archbishop of Canterbury, 1961-1974, in Lambeth Palace Library (typescript; draft for 1961-8; in progress for 1969).*
 

List of ordination papers for the dioceses of Winchester, 1895-1902, and of Canterbury, 1902-1944 (typescript).*
[These ordination papers for the diocese of Winchester, 1895-1902, and the diocese of Canterbury, 1902-1944, were transferred respectively to Hampshire Record Office and Canterbury Cathedral Archives in 2003 and are no longer held at Lambeth Palace Library.] 

List of the Archbishop's Assyrian Mission Papers, 1879-1931, (typescript, 1990).*
These comprise correspondence of the archbishops, and not the archive of the mission itself.
 

Frappell, R., Frappell, L., Withycombe, R. & Nobbs, R. Anglicans in the Antipodes: an indexed calendar to the papers and correspondence of the archbishops of Canterbury, 1781-1961, relating to Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, (Greenwood, 1999). Top
 
 

3) BISHOPS' MEETINGS RECORDS

Minute books of the Bishops' Meetings, a gathering of diocesan and suffragan bishops in England and Wales, chaired by the archbishop of Canterbury, and held biannually. The collection is subject to a fifty-year ruling.

List of the records of the Bishops' Meetings 1871- (typescript).*

4) CARTE ANTIQUE ET MISCELLANEE (Lambeth Charters - CM).

The Carte Miscellanee or Lambeth Charters comprise records of the archbishops from the 12th century onwards, including royal charters relating to the archiepiscopal estates, patents of appointment of officials, bonds from recusants, returns of diocesan clergy made for Archbishops Grindal in 1576 and Whitgift in 1591, records relating to the London tithes dispute, 1634-9,  to the Great Plague and Fire, 1665-6, and to the abbey of St Benet of Holme, Norfolk.  The collection was brought together and numbered as MSS. 889-901 in the early 18th century, but was disbound and renumbered as CM I-XX in the early 1960s.

The series has been continued with the addition of archiepiscopal records, the East Kent deeds of the Langleys and Peytons of Knowlton relating to Knowlton and Sandown, and various acquisitions from the late 12th century to the 20th century. These include a roll of Augustinian statutes, late 13th century, 16th century deeds for various monasteries, including St. Augustine's, Canterbury, Christ Church, Canterbury, and Southwark priory, libri cleri for the diocese of Norwich, sede vacante, 1499, and for the diocese of Canterbury, 1610, professions of obedience to Archbishop Warham, 1504-23, and acta of Archbishop Warham, 1507-12.
 

Owen, D.M. A catalogue of Lambeth manuscripts 889 to 901 (Carte Antique et Miscellanee), (1968).#

Carte Antique et Miscellanee: supplementary series (CM 23-55): a catalogue (typescript).*

 Churchill, I.J. East Kent Records. A calendar of some unpublished documents and court rolls in the Library of Lambeth Palace, (Kent Records, vol. 7, 1922). [Now CM 31-36]. This catalogue is available on the Access to Archives (A2A) website. 

5) CONVOCATION RECORDS

Convocation is the ancient legislative assembly for the province of Canterbury, which since the 15th century met as two houses, the upper house of bishops, presided over by the archbishop of Canterbury, and the lower house (of clergy) who elect their own chairman. From its prorogation in 1717 until its revival in 1852, Convocation conducted no business whatever, its meetings being purely formal. The records comprise act books of the upper and lower houses, and committee papers mainly from 1865 onwards.  Earlier records of Convocation were often recorded in the mediaeval archbishops' registers and were printed in David Wilkins' Concilia (1737).  From 1858, proceedings of Convocation were published in The Chronicles of Convocation.
 Provisional catalogue of the records of the Convocation of Canterbury (typescript).*

6) COURT OF ARCHES

The Court of Arches, the court of appeal of the archbishop of Canterbury, dates back to the 13th century, but with the exception of a dozen volumes, the very extensive archive dates from the Restoration. In its heyday the court exercised an extensive jurisdiction over marriage, probate and testamentary disputes, defamation, church property (rates, tithes, fabric of churches), and morals of the clergy and laity. The archive is very extensive. It includes over 2000 process books, transcripts of proceedings in the lower court sent up on appeal, and exhibits, including mediaeval title deeds (Fineshade cartulary), court books, probate accounts, churchwardens' accounts, rate books etc.
 

Houston, J. (ed.) Index of cases in the records of the Court of Arches at Lambeth Palace Library 1660-1913, (Index Library, vol. 85, 1972).

Provisional catalogue of the records of the Court of Arches (typescript).*

Supplementary card index to Court of Arches records, [covering the assignation books, 1763-1875, and excommunication schedules, 1666-1725 (Aaa 33-50, G1-4)].*

Card index of proctors and advocates, 1700-1862, in series Kkk 1-20.*

Barber, M. Process books of the Court of Arches. Supplementary list for use with the microfiche and the printed index, (typescript).*

Micropublications: The following categories of records are available on microfilm or microfiches at the Center for Research Libraries, Chicago: the act book (A), acts of court (Aa), assignation books (Aaa), appeals (C), muniment books (F), personal answers and depositions (Ee, Eee), 2000 process books (D), sentences (B), and Black Book of the Arches (N1). The fiches of the process books are available for loan from the British Library Document Supply Centre, Boston Spa. Copies of the films and fiche may be purchased from Chadwyck Healey, Cambridge.

7) FACULTY OFFICE

The Faculty Office was set up under Peter's Pence Act of November 1533 to issue 'licences, dispensations, faculties, compositions, and rescripts, etc.' previously granted by the pope or papal curia. With the exception of three muniment books or registers, the archive dates from the Restoration and comprises records of the grant of a variety of dispensations throughout England and Wales, including dispensations to hold benefices in plurality, marriage licences, of appointment of public notaries in the British Isles and colonies, and the conferment of Lambeth degrees. Also included are a few medical licences, and dispensations for ordination.

Catalogue of the records of the Faculty Office in Lambeth Palace Library (typescript). This catalogue is available on the A2A (Access to Archives) website.

Chambers, D.S. Faculty Office registers, 1534-1549. A calendar of the first two registers of the Archbishop of Canterbury's Faculty Office (1966).#
Includes dispensations to the ex-religious to live as secular priests and to hold benefices, and for to various impediments to marriage.

Card indexes to the Faculty Office muniment books, 1567-1835 (F 1/B-Z).*

Harvey, W. Index to muniment books A [1543-9] & B [1567-91] (1847).*

Stubbs, W. 'Lambeth degrees' (The Gentlemen's Magazine, 1864, pp.633-8, 770-2).
This lists the degrees granted to 1848. (For a list of degrees from 1848-1948, see MS. 1715, pp. 89-113).

There is also a card index to noblemen's chaplains. 
 

Marriage records

The majority of the marriage licences granted by the archbishops of Canterbury were common licences for residents of the province of Canterbury (England south of the Humber, and Wales).  From 1753, the Faculty Office alone was responsible for the issue of the archbishop's special licence throughout England and Wales.

Indexes to marriage licences issued by the Faculty Office 1701-1850 are available online.

Cokayne, G.E. & Fry, E.A. (ed.s) Calendar of marriage licences issued by the Faculty Office, 1632-1714, (Index Library, vol. 33, 1905).

Armytage, G.J. (ed.) & Chester, J.L. (extractor) Allegations for marriage licences issued from the Faculty Office of the archbishop of Canterbury, 1543 to 1869, (Harleian Society, vol. 24, 1886).
[Selective]

Calendars and indexes of marriage licences issued by the Faculty Office of the archbishop of Canterbury, 1632-1913 (22 vols.).*

Micropublication of the indexes and calendars of the marriage allegations is available from Research Publications Ltd. The film of the allegations may also be consulted at the Genealogical Society, Salt Lake City, and the Society of Genealogists, London.
 

Medical Licences

Barber, M. A directory of doctors and surgeons licensed by the archbishop of Canterbury, 1535-1775, (typescript, 1997, 2000).*
Includes licences in faculty office muniment books and fiats, together with the series of post-Restoration letters testimonial submitted in application for licensing.
Introduction and indexes available online.

The Papers of the Lambeth Conference, which met first in 1867 and roughly every ten years thereafter, comprise verbatim accounts of the proceedings, committee minutes, correspondence and photographs. The subjects covered by the Conferences were wide-ranging, spanning social and political issues as well as matters of ecclesiastical and theological significance throughout the world (see the published reports and resolutions, and Davidson, R.T. (ed.), The six Lambeth Conferences, 1867-1920, 1929).

Catalogue of the records of the Lambeth Conferences, 1867-1958, and of the Central Consultative Body, 1897-1954 (typescript).*

Barber, M. (ed.) Index to the Lambeth Conference Papers, 1867-1958, (typescript, 1993).*
This provides an index of correspondence, speakers at the Conferences, and photographs of the bishops.A microfilm of the proceedings, 1867-1958, and correspondence, 1867-1888, is held by the archivist of the Protestant Episcopal Church, Austin, Texas.

A collection of papal bulls and rescripts, some of which were addressed to the archbishop, but the majority of which relate to monastic houses, which came to Lambeth following the dissolution of the monasteries. The collection was arranged by A.C. Ducarel in the 18th century and bound up as MSS. 643-4. In 1960, the collection was disbound and numbered.
 

Sayers, J.E. Original papal documents in the Lambeth Palace Library. A catalogue, (Bulletin of I.H.R., special supplement no. 6, 1967). 

Micropublication of the papal bulls is available from World Microfilms Publications in "Lambeth Palace Library: the medieval manuscripts" section II (Law MSS.), reel 18.

10) TEMPORALITIES

Records of the administration of the estates of the archbishops of Canterbury situated principally in Kent, Surrey and Middlesex, but including property in Buckinghamshire, Lancashire, and Sussex. These include accounts, court rolls, leases, maps, plans, rentals, surveys and valuations, correspondence and related papers. The composition of the temporalities was extensively changed by the Henrician exchanges whereby Archbishop Cranmer received a number of the former monastic estates in Kent and Lancashire in exchange for some of his more valuable properties in Kent and Surrey (see F.R.H. Du Boulay, The lordship of Canterbury, 1966). The majority of the pre-Restoration records and most of the court rolls are described in Professor Sayers' catalogue, whereas most of the post-Restoration records are listed in Miss Barber's catalogue.
 

Sayers, J.E. Estate documents at Lambeth Palace Library. A short catalogue, (1965).
Includes court and account rolls for a few religious houses, including Christ Church, Canterbury, and the convent of St. Benet of Hulme, Norfolk, and for mediaeval bishops of Bath and Wells, Chichester, and Winchester.
 

Barber, M. Catalogue of the records of the Archiepiscopal Temporalities in Lambeth Palace Library (typescript, 1994). This catalogue is available on the A2A (Access to Archives) website.
 

Lists of leases and other title deeds, arranged in alphabetical order of properties (TA 1-703, TB 1-24), with card index of lessees (typescript in progress).*
 

Barber, M. Card index of surveys of the archiepiscopal estates, 1599-1862, (TC 17-90).*

 Barber, M. Card index of the maps and plans of the archiepiscopal estates, 1631-1861, (TD 1-354).*

For some Middlesex and Surrey documents, see also the Manorial Documents Register. 

11) VICAR GENERAL

The records of the vicar general of the Archbishop of Canterbury relate to the ecclesiastical administration of the province, diocese and peculiars of Canterbury, mainly from the Restoration onwards. From 1663, the act books supersede the archbishops' registers as the principal record of archiepiscopal administration. They provide the link between the two major aspects of his metropolitical and primatial jurisdiction exercised through the Vicar General and the Faculty Office. The act books record the appointments of bishops, the institution of clergy in the diocese of Canterbury, sede vacante appointments of clergy throughout the province of Canterbury, licences to officiate, to practise medicine, surgery, or midwifery, dispensations to clergy to hold in plurality, and appointments of proctors and advocates of the Court of Arches. With the exception of the subscription books, diocesan surveys, and visitation returns, and a small collection of visitation act books, 1540-1640, most of the purely diocesan records are in Canterbury Cathedral Archives.  Information about the extent of the diocese of Canterbury and the peculiar jurisdiction of the archbishops (use your browser's back button to return here).
 

Provisional catalogue of the records of the vicar-general of the archbishop of Canterbury (typescript).* 

Vicar General Records: Archbishops' Peculiars (typescript).
View this catalogue on the A2A (Access to Archives) website
However, for Peculiars marriage records, testamentary records and visitation records there are separate finding aids in hard copy. 

There is also a card index to the subscription books. 
 

Act books of the archbishops

Jenkins, C. & Fry, E.A. (ed.s), Dunkin, E.H.W. (compiler) Index to the act books of the archbishops of Canterbury, 1663-1859, (Index Library, vols. 55, 63; 1929, 1938).

Micropublication of the act books, 1663-1914, is available from World Microfilms Publications.
 

Court records

Peters, V.B. & Breay, C. Catalogue of the cause papers of the archbishop of Canterbury's peculiars of Croydon, Shoreham and the Arches in Lambeth Palace Library, (typescript, 1997).
View this catalogue on the A2A (Access to Archives) website

Marriage records

Records of the issue of marriage licences by the vicar general of the archbishop of Canterbury throughout the province of Canterbury (England south of the Humber, and Wales). With a few exceptions before Lord Hardwicke's marriage act, 1753, all of these were common licences. The records comprise marriage allegations (sworn statements in application for a licence), and, until 1823, marriage bonds.

Indexes to marriage licences issued by the vicar-general 1694-1850 are available online.

Armytage, G.J. (ed.) & Chester, J.L. (extractor) Allegations for marriage licences issued by the dean and chapter of Westminster, 1558 to 1699; also, for those issued by the vicar-general of the archbishop of Canterbury, 1660 to 1679, (Harleian Society, vol. 23, 1886).
This is selective; for licences omitted from this volume, see Armytage vols. 33 and 34 below.
 

Armytage, G.J. (ed.) Allegations for marriage licences issued by the vicar-general of the archbishop of Canterbury, 1660 to 1668, (Harleian Society, vol. 33, 1892).
 

Armytage, G.J. (ed.) Allegations for marriage licences issued by the vicar-general of the archbishop of Canterbury, 1669 to 1679, (Harleian Society, vol. 34, 1892).
 

Armytage, G.J. (ed.) Allegations for marriage licences issued by the vicar-general of the archbishop of Canterbury, July 1679 to June 1687, (Harleian Society, vol. 30, 1890).
 

Armytage, G.J. (ed.) Allegations for marriage licences issued by the vicar-general of the archbishop of Canterbury, July 1687 to June 1694, (Harleian Society, vol. 31, 1890).
 

Index of the marriage allegations for the archbishop's peculiars of the Arches, Croydon and Shoreham in Lambeth Palace Library, (typescript, 1996).*
 

Calendar of the marriage licences for the archbishop's peculiar of Bocking, 1771-1831, in Lambeth Palace Library,  (typescript, 1998).*
 

The indexes and calendars of the marriage allegations are available on microfiche from Research Publications Ltd. The film of the allegations may also be consulted at the Genealogical Society, Salt Lake City, and the Society of Genealogists, London.
 

Medical Licences
 

Barber, M. A directory of doctors and surgeons licensed by the archbishop of Canterbury, 1535-1775, (typescript, 1997, 2000).*
Includes licences in archbishops' registers and act books, together with the series of post-Restoration letters testimonial submitted in application for licensing.
Introduction and indexes available online.
 

Testamentary records
 

Wills and administrations for the archbishop's peculiars, parishes in the city of London (deanery of the Arches), Middlesex and Surrey (deanery of Croydon) and Kent (deanery of Shoreham), 1614-1841. The wills of parishioners with bona notabilia were proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury: these records are held at the National Archives. 
 

Foster, J. Index to testamentary records of the deanery of the Arches in Lambeth Palace Library, 1620-1845 (Index Library, vol. 98, 1985).

View this index on the A2A (Access to Archives) website
 

Manuscript index to the testamentary records of the archbishop's peculiars of Croydon and Shoreham, 1614-1841.

View this index on the A2A (Access to Archives) website

Visitation returns
 

The visitation returns comprise answers by the beneficed clergy to questions circulated by the archbishops before their visitation, and include information on the residence of the local clergy, the value of the benefice, conditions prevailing in the parish, the provision of services and schools, and the numbers of nonconformists and recusants, 1717-1935.
 

Index to the visitation returns for the diocese and peculiars of Canterbury, 1717-1935 (typescript).* [peculiars: 1717-1807; diocese: 1786-1935]

The visitation returns, 1717-1807, are available on microfilm from World Microfilms Publications.
Introduction, volume lists for Canterbury diocese and peculiars, examples of articles(questions) and returns (answers), and place name index now available online. Information about the extent of the diocese of Canterbury and the peculiar jurisdiction of the archbishops (use your browser's back button to return here).