Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae
In 1716 John Le Neve published Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae ('Fasti '), a list of the cathedral clergy of England and Wales. This was revised in 1854 and enlarged to three volumes by T. Duffus Hardy. Despite its many deficiencies, Hardy's edition has been the standard authority since then.
This new edition undertaken by the Institute of Historical Research makes use of the many fresh sources of information now available, applying rigorous standards of scholarship to them. It is being issued cathedral by cathedral. When complete, it will trace the chronology and careers of all the bishops, deans, archdeacons and canons of the cathedral churches of England and Wales from the earliest times to the middle of the nineteenth century, when Crockford's Clerical List began to be published annually. It is being published in three series, 1066-1300, 1300-1541 and 1541-1857.
Series 1066-1300
The volumes in this series trace the process of re-organisation and reform
that took place in the English cathedrals after the Norman conquest, with
the building of new cathedrals, the establishment of new constitutions
for their chapters, and the appointment of foreign clergy. In this period,
when many documents are undated, the chronological framework provided by
the careers of bishops, dignitaries, canons and cathedral priors, is an
essential research tool for historians.
The volumes in this series are currently available in printed format only from our bookshop.
Series 1300-1541
The influence of the church was at its height, and many of the principal offices of state were held by churchmen whose careers are traced in these volumes. They reveal the conflicts between kings and popes over appointments to lucrative benefices, the number of foreign holders of cathedral benefices in England and Wales and the extent of pluralism. The series is complete, and all the cathedrals are covered in the following volumes.
The full texts are available from our bookshop.
Online Index 1300-1541
The volumes in this series are also presented in a summarised form online and can be accessed by using the alphabetical index below:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X (no entries) | Y | Z |
Series 1541-1857
A large-scale reorganisation of dioceses and cathedrals followed the Reformation
and the dissolution of the monasteries. Eight former monastic cathedrals,
now without their priors and monks, were each given a dean and secular
chapter. Six new dioceses were created out of the larger dioceses, having
as their cathedrals former abbey churches. These fourteen were known as
the New Foundation, as compared with the thirteen medieval secular cathedrals
of the Old Foundation. Further substantial reorganisation took place in
the eighteen-thirties, and additional dioceses were created to meet the
needs of the period.
The full texts are available from our bookshop.
Online Index 1541-1857
The volumes in this series are also presented in a summarised form online and can be accessed by using the alphabetical index below:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X (no entries) | Y | Z