FF1 Ecclesiastical Commissioners for England: Worcester Chapter Estates

Survey volume FF1 is the first in the series of nine 'FF' volumes, which covers the Ecclesiastical Corporations of Worcester, which were transferred to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners under mid nineteenth century parliamentary legislation. ; This volume covers the surveys carried out on behalf of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners by their appointed land agents, Messrs. Smith and Watkins. The preferments in this volume concern the Worcester Chapter Estates, which were transferred by commutation to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners on 1 November 1859 (effective date), which was published in the London Gazette on 16 December 1859 by Order in Council.; These surveys were essential to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, as the survey reports gave a comprehensive way of clearly ascertaining the extent, condition and value of the preferments being transferred. ; As preferments were transferred to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners from the Ecclesiastical Corporations, the various holdings of the estates were either kept or sold; the land agents supplied recommendatory advice on this matter with the survey reports. ; The volume also has added annotations often regarding the disposal of property or land since the surveys were originally carried out and therefore incorporates later dates.; The geographical areas covered within the volume includes: the county of Worcestershire, parishes of Bredicot, Broomsgrove, Claines, Cleeve Prior, Cotheridge, Crowle, Harvington, Himbleton and Kings Norton; the county of Warwickshire, parishes of Great Packington, Little Packingtonand Maxtoke; the county of Bedfordshire, parish of Dean;the county of Gloucestershire, parish of Old Sodbury; the county of Herefordshire, parish of Cradley; and the counties of Herefordshire and Radnorshire, parish of Old Radnor.