The Archdeacon of London has jurisdiction over all City of London parishes except the Archbishop of Canterbury's 13 exempt parishes, the Dean and Chapter of St Paul's Cathedral's 4 exempt parishes and St Botolph Bishopsgate. The Archdeacon also has jurisdiction over St James Clerkenwell, St Leonard Shoreditch and St Mary Newington. Records of the Archdeaconry have been deposited in Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section at various dates. Probate and other court records were deposited by the Principal Probate Registry in 1954; some visitation records were deposited by St Paul's cathedral in 1955. Most other records were deposited by the Diocesan Registry from 1959 onwards, with Lambeth Palace Library transferring some Archdeaconry strays in 1973.
Full catalogue entries for the records listed below will be found in our online catalogue (use the “Former catalogue”). Some records are listed with an archival classification number, e.g. ADLA. This indicates a number of records are held. Other records are listed with one or two Ms numbers, e.g. Ms 9060A and Ms 9458. This indicates only one (or two) records are held.
To find the entries, do a Classification search for the archival classification number or Ms number given below in bold, adding a leading zero if necessary to give the number five digits (e.g. ADLA or Ms 09458). N.B. the records need to be ordered in the reading room using Ms numbers, e.g. Ms 9458, as the archival classification numbers are merely a device to ensure the catalogue entries for records appear in the correct order on the computer catalogue. To see all the records of the Archdeaconry, do a Classification search for ADL. This search will show all the records in archival order, beginning with the collection level description which gives further details of the archive.
The catalogue is available in hard copy at the Manuscripts enquiry desk. Covering dates only are given here.
ARCHDEACONRY OF ST ALBANS. Records held by Hertfordshire Record Office, County Hall, Hertford SG13 8DE.
ARCHDEACONRY OF COLCHESTER. Returns to articles of enquiry 1829, Ms 10263 and miscellaneous court papers (within date range 1662-1784) in Ms 9182. All other records held by Essex Record Office, County Hall, Chelmsford CM1 1LX.
ARCHDEACONRY OF ESSEX. Miscellaneous court papers (within date range 1662-1784) in Ms 9182. All other records held by Essex Record Office, County Hall, Chelmsford CM1 1LX.
ARCHDEACONRY OF MIDDLESEX. Visitation book (Middlesex parishes only). 1673. In Ms 9537/20. The main archive is held by LMA.
ARCHDEACONRIES OF HACKNEY AND NORTHOLT. Records held by LMA.
ARCHDEACONRY OF LONDON.
a) Administrative records, ADLA including:-
Induction records. 1720-1948. ADLAA
Marriage licensing records. 1666-91. Ms 9063, indexed in Ms 9063A
b) Visitation records, ADLB, including:-
Call and process books. 1662-1928. Ms 9060A and Ms 9458
Churchwardens’ presentment. 1679-1946. Ms 9811
c) Archdeaconry court:
i) probate records 1368-1807, ADLC001-8, including:-
original wills, 1524-1807. Ms 9052
will registers, 1368-1807 (gaps). Ms 9051
probate and administration act books, 1564-79, 1588-1807. Ms 9050
probate inventories, 1662-1705. Ms 9898, Ms 9174A
The will registers and probate and administration act books covering [1363]-1700 have been edited by Marc Fitch, "Testamentary records in the Archdeaconry Court of London" (British Record Society vols.89 and 98: 1979-85). Manuscript calendars (Ms. 9054/1-2) to all the will registers, original wills and administration act books are available in the Section's Reading room.
Probate inventories are indexed by personal name and occupation in a card index available in the Manuscripts reading room. (We plan to make the index available online by 2011.)
ii) non testamentary records, 1562-1922. ADLC009-23
iii) Deanery records:
West City Rural Deanery Chapter (26 parishes in the City of London), minute book. 1935-47. Ms 29082A
Last updated 27 January 2009