| The
Wolley Manuscripts, Matlock : About the Manuscripts |
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A Major Collection of pre 1828
Pedigrees, Charters, Documents, Deeds & Wills
 Historical background
What each volume contains
Where they are held and
how to find out more
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Wolley Manuscripts Derbyshire or use "Back" on the toolbar |
 Historical
background |
The Wolley Manuscripts are a remarkable collection of fifty
three folio volumes, for a projected county history of Derbyshire.
They were amassed by Mr. Adam Wolley of Riber, Matlock, who
bequeathed them to the British Museum in 1828. Mr. Wolley had
collected these papers for over fifty years, pasting the manuscripts
into his bound books, but he did not complete his project. In
his Will he described his collection as 'all the volumes or
books bound in rough calf lettered on the back "Charte
Antique" '; he directed that the Museum should keep his
collection 'for the use and inspection of the public'.
'They form numbers 6666 to 6718 of the Additional Manuscripts'
(Cox: DASJ Vol XXXVII Jan 1911, p.131). Cox wrote that Adam
Wolley's family had been established in Derbyshire from at least
as early as the reign of Henry III and the Wolley families links
with Matlock and Riber are well documented.
 Where they are held
and how to find out more
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| What
each volume contains |
The following has been extracted from articles written by Rev.
Charles J. Cox, LL.D., F.S.A. and published in the Journals
of the Derbyshire Archaeological and Natural History Society
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| Volume(s) |
Content |
| 6666 - 6675 |
'form a collection particularly designed
to assist in a scheme for a general history of Derbyshire, consisting
of Terriers, Court Rolls, Rentals, Petitions, Inventories, Letters,
and other Original Papers ; also copies of Inquisitions, Wills
Charters, Seals, Fines, Decrees, Surveys, Legal Briefs, Cases,
Pleas, Abstracts of Titles, Particulars of Properties on Sale,
Church Notes, Parish Register Extracts, Lists of Sheriffs, Pedigrees,
Grants of Arms. Many of the latter class are in Mr. Wolley's
own hand. They form ten thick folio volumes.' (DASJ Vol XXXVII,
p.132)
Also see:
DASJ Vol XXXVII Jan 1911 Volumes 6666 - 6670
DASJ Vol XXXIV 1912 Volumes 6666 - 6675 |
| 6676 - 6680 |
'Legal Briefs and Cases, Copies of Proceedings
in the Court of Law and Equity, and of Arbitrations, all relating
to Mines and Mining Operations in the County of Derby' (5 large
folio volumes) (DASJ 1913, p.172) |
| 6681 - 6683 |
'General, Legal, and Historical Collections
relating to the same subject, three volume folio' (DASJ 1913,
p.172) |
| 6684 - 6686 |
'Fair Copies of Charters and other Ancient
Documents relating to Derbyshire ; two folio volumes, with an
Index of the Contents of each volume subjoining it.' (DASJ 1913,
p.172) |
| 6687 - 6696 |
'Abstracts of Titles, Drafts of Wills and
of Marriage Settlements, with copies of Legal Documents, Pedigrees,
and Miscellaneous Memoranda, being further Collections for a
General History of Derbyshire, in ten large folio volumes.'
(DASJ 1913, p.173) |
| 6697 & 6698 |
"Fair Copies of Charters & other
Ancient Documents relating to Derbyshire ; two Folio , Volumes,
with an Index of the Contents of each Volume subjoined to it." |
| 6699 |
Is another big book, filled with extracts
from old records which were then either in the Rolls Chapel
or in the Tower. The great majority of these now appear in printed
calendars. |
| 6701 |
This is a thin folio volume of " Derbyshire
Church Notes," by Mr. John Reynolds, of Plaistow, about
the year 1750. They refer to the churches of Alfreton, Beeley,
Chapel-en-le- Frith, Chesterfield, Crich, Darley, Dronfield,
Edensor, Elvaston, Norton, Spondon, Staveley, and South Wingfield.
Each account has been cited in full or in substance in my [i.e.
Cox] four volumes of "Notes on the Churches of Derbyshire". |
| 6702 |
121 paper folios. On the cover Adam Wolley
wrote:
'This MS. seems formerly to have been the commonplace book of
Roger Columbell, of Darley Hall, in the county of Derby, esquire,
who died anno. 1605 ; it was given to me by Mr. Herbert Greensmith
Beard, of Stancliffe Hall, anno. 1792.
"Adam Wolley, junr."
It consists of 121 paper folios, and is chiefly concerned with
poorly written copies or abstracts of deeds, wills, and manorial
notes relative to the Columbell estates at Darley ; the earlier
pages were evidently written by someone older than Roger Columbell,
for they are quite early in the sixteenth century. Towards the
end of the volume it is more of the nature of a household account
book. After the fortieth folio is passed, the book is occasionally
interlarded with quaint receipts or charms, and with items of
expenditure.
(DASJ 1913, p.192) |
| 6703 |
Catalogued " Transcripts of several
Political Tracts and Pamphlets, 1620-1698, in a Folio Volume."
[Cox notes] As none of these have any connection with Derbyshire,
nothing need to be said here of their contents.
(DASJ 1913, p.197) |
| 6704 |
214 folios. "Forms of deeds and Miscellaneous
Memoranda in the Handwriting apparently of Mr. Henry Wigley,
of Middleton, in a Folio Volume."
'The contents are generally of a legal character .. Intermingled
with the legal formula are a few distinctive Derbyshire entries
as to actions taken in the local courts at Wirksworth ... entries
made in the latter part of Elizabeth's reign, through that of
James I and during the earlier years of Charles I.' (DASJ 1913,
p.198) |
| 6705 |
A small quarto in the neat handwriting of
Mr. John Reynolds, of Plaistow. It was begun in the year 1750.
There are a variety of scraps of Derbyshire pedigrees. Many
of the notes are cited in "Notes on the Churches of
Derbyshire" and "Three Centuries of Derbyshire
Annals" [both by Cox] The historical events pertaining
to the borough of Derby, 1554-1697, appear in the second volume
of Glover's history |
| 6706 |
Another small quarto in the handwriting
of Mr. Reynolds, of Plaistow, half blank. The remainder consists
of extracts from Thoroton's "History of Nottinghamshire". |
| 6707 |
67 folios of memoranda books, written by
Mr. John Reynolds of Plaistow. (DASJ 1913, p.205) |
| 6708 |
'... an account of Roman coins found in
Derbyshire.' (DASJ 1913, p.206)
Also see: DASJ Volume VII, pp.216-230 |
| 6709 |
Tithes of Draycott, STS |
| 6710 |
Abstracts of Inquisitiones post mortem,
from Henry VII to 44 Elizabeth |
| 6711 |
Series of Transcripts of Chartae Antique,
temp. Richard I, John, and Henry III, which used to be kept
in the Tower |
| 6712 |
Extracts from the Charter and Close Rolls,
1-19 Henry III, relating to Derbyshire |
| 6713 |
Cornish stanneries |
| 6714 |
Transcript of chartulary of Tutbury Priory,
with extracts relatve to Derbyshire and Staffordshire |
| 6715 |
'... printed particulars of Derbyshire estates
offered for sale. (1810-1824)' (DASJ 1913, p.206) |
| 6716 |
Purely theological. Folio book belonged
to William BURTON of Lindley, LEI, 1623 |
| 6717 |
Copies of Year books, chiefly of the reign
of Edward III |
| 6718 |
Concerned with early Latin divinity |
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| Where they are
held and how to find out more |
The Wolley Manuscripts are now held at the British Library and
form part of the Additional Manuscripts.
Contact
information for the British Library |
The unpublished catalogue and card indexes
are held at County Hall Local Studies Library. The library has
a microfilm of the documents in the Wolley Collection available
for readers, and this may be viewed by prior appointment with
the library. If you cannot visit the library in person, but
wish to have photocopies from the film, it might be helpful
for you to know that the fees set for 2001 were 55p for microfilm
copies sent by post plus £2.50 per order for handling and postage.
County
Hall Local Studies Library contact details
Derbyshire
County Council web site may have more up to date information
about fees
Familia
may also have information |
Derbyshire Archaeological Society have a
limited number of back issues of their annual journal available
to purchase but you will need to enquire for availability of
volumes before 1950.
Derbyshire
Archaeological Society |
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