Visitation Books and Papers

Contains indexes to deaneries (groups of parishes administered by a dean (a collection of deaneries form an archdeaconry) and parishes, registers of wills and administrations, certificates and presentments which were created as part of the process of visitation.

Registers of wills and administrations:

A will is a written document by which a person declares his or her intent for the disposition of property and rights after his or her death, normally signed and witnessed. Registers of wills contain the official transcript copy of the will and probate act copied by the Registrar after the original had been presented in court for probate (the process of legally establishing the validity of a will) and inscribed with the probate act. Church courts also granted the next-of-kin or creditors of the testator letters of administration (often abbreviated as 'admon' or 'admin') when a person died without making a will (intestate). This enabled next-of-kin to deal with the deceased's estate. These documents give only brief details (names of the administrator(s), usually a relative of the deceased and their occupation). Letters of administration with the will annexed could be granted in cases where the executors named in the will had died or refused to act.

Wills are a valuable source particularly for family historians and the following information can be found:

Name, occupation and residence of the testator.

Indication is often made as to the health of the testator.

Instruction may be given as to where the testator wishes to be buried.

Mention of family and friends, named either as beneficiaries to the estate or as executors or trustees.

Details of property and domestic possessions.

Some wills include signed, witnessed additions or extra instructions to a Will known as codicils made to the document in the intervening time before the death.

The date of the grant of probate following the testator's death.

Certificates held in this collection are various and include election of churchwardens, church attendance and repair work made to dilapidated church buildings. Examples include:

Certificate that Bernard Clarke, miller, of Milton next Sittingbourne, Kent was present at Reading of Divine Service at the parish church of Milton on Easter Sunday and received the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 8 April 1686. Signed by Thomas Turner, Vicar (reference DCb/PRC/43/10/1686).

Certificate concerning the 'very great forwardness by workmen' in repairs of dilapidations concerning the Parsonage of Kenardington, Kent. The document states that 'the frame of the Barn is set up of good substantial timber and likewise the frame of that part of the dwelling house which was pulled down when Mr Collington was incumbent. There are two or three floors laid now, tiles likewise are laid for repair of the Chancel and straw for the thatchers' work about the Barn'. 3 October 1686. Signed by the Churchwardens and Overseers (reference DCb/PRC/43/10/1686).

Presentments:

Presentments are reports submitted by laymen, usually churchwardens of the parish, which describe the problems or difficulties occurring at specific time before the visitation. They included the church fabric, churchyard and church fittings, and the conduct of clergy, parish officers and parishioners. The named individuals were then dealt with through the church court judicial procedure.

For example DCb/PRC/43/12 includes rolled lists of individuals compiled from the presentments made by the churchwardens of their parishes:

26 May 1726

'Mary Saddleton of Appledoor presented for having a bastard child born of her body'.

'John Botting and Anne his wife of Cranbrook presented for having had a bastard child before their marriage'.

'Stephen Hardiman and Jane his wife of Old Romney presented for incestuously marrying together the said Jane being the said Stephen's late brother's wife'.

'Edward Leigh of Cranbrook, taylor, presented for absenting himself from church and all religious assemblies and for being a common drunkard...'

Further example: the churchwardens' presentment 16 October 1712 for Molash, Kent concerning the churchyard, house, glebe and tithes belong to the church states 'we present Mr Bates our vicar for pulling down our vicarage house and carrying away the materials'.

Various papers:

The various papers include general lists of deaneries, incumbents, schoolmasters, midwives and surgeons' names and parishes, lists of when and where the visitation was to be held by deanery, and instructions to Churchwardens and their Sidemen (assistants) (see DCb/PRC/43/13/48).

DCb/PRC/43/13/1-20 contains lists of communicants (parishioners who received Holy Communion in celebration of the Lord's Supper through the taking of 'bread and wine') sent to the Diocesan Registry by each parish in 1565. For example:

Bobbing next Sittingbourne, Kent (referenced DCb/PRC/43/13/3) contains the names of householders and numbers of servants (whether male or female) for 32 households, the Parsonage and Vicarage all of which were inhabited except one. Each household is listed individually, for example:

'George Clifforde, Gentleman

Ursula his bedfellow

His man servants...'

'James Drylande, householder

Jaen his wife

Maid servants

Maryan Wolly'

The records are arranged mainly in chronological order.

<p>See the Centre for Kentish Studies for the rest of this class of records.</p>