SESSIONS ROLLS

These include examinations, calendars of prisoners, fines, indentures, orders of court, petitions, presentments, recognizances, etc., and miscellaneous items such as settlement and removal papers. The rolls for 1649-1725 are largely composed of examinations. Sacrament certificates appear in the rolls after 1750, but were previously stored separately. Papers relating to the stopping-up or diversion of highways have not been segregated into a distinct class, and are included in these rolls. (Three papers only for 1561, 1591 and 1597. The main series continues: 1607-39, 1642, 1644-45, 1647-66, 1681-1721, 1725-1889). Sessions were held at Wells, Taunton, (except 1670-1695), and Bridgwater (up to Mids. 1853). They were also held at Ilchester, intermittently until 1766 and at Bruton intermittently from 1740-1786, sometimes alternating with Ilchester.

Many of the classes of document included under the 'Enrolment, Registration and Deposit' head, but for reasons of bulk, convenience or important, might have found their way into the sessions rolls; and certain other classes, at first included, eventually became too large or distinctive in character to be stored other than separately.

Dates of Surviving Rolls

The sessions rolls, 1561-1971, are third in order of survival among the Quarter Sessions records, after the enrolled deeds of bargain and sale (Q/RDd), commencing in 1537, and the 'rough' order books (Q/SOr), commencing in 1560. Before 1607, however, no more than three stray sessions papers survive, dated 1561, 1591 and 1597, and only thereafter does the series proper begin. Rolls survive, more or less completely, for the years 1607-39, 1642, 1644-5, 1647-66, 1668-1721, and 1725-1971.

Summary of Contents of Rolls

The sessions rolls for the period 1607-39 are divided into two series. The first contains examinations of suspects and witnesses, taken before justices out of sessions; the second contains drafts of Quarter Sessions orders, memoranda of justices and the clerk of the peace, hundred and jury presentments, letters to the clerk and the bench from justices and others, certificates, recognizances, bastardy orders (out of sessions), warrants, petitions, informations, etc. The rolls from 1649-1725 are largely composed of examinations, but thereafter they contain documents of all kinds. Sacrament certificates appear after 1750, having previously been stored as a distinct series, and papers relating to stop ping-up or diversion of highways are also included.

The rolls relate to matters in parishes throughout the historic county, with the exception that the existence of separate city Quarter Sessions for the city of Bath means that little Bath material is contained in the rolls of the county Quarter Sessions. In the same way, but to a lesser extent, the existence of borough Quarter Sessions for Bridgwater and of city Quarter Sessions for Wells has resulted in less material for those places surviving in the rolls than might otherwise be expected.