Welcome to the catalogue of the Wolley Charters, a searchable calendar of all
1039 Wolley Charters which were acquired, together with Additional MSS
6666-6718, from the bequest of Adam Wolley in 1828. This online catalogue
supersedes the handwritten catalogues which hitherto have been the only means
of accessing the collection.
The Catalogue of the Wolley Charters is a partnership between the
British Library and Royal Holloway, University of London, and is supported by
The British Academy. The British Library provides access to the charters in its
reading rooms. For information about getting to the Library, opening hours and
admission to the reading rooms, see
Reader services
Scope
The Wolley charters range in date from the beginning of the thirteenth to the
first half of the eighteenth centuries, but the majority date from the mid
thirteenth to the late fourteenth centuries.
They are arranged in twelve series (i-xii).
Series i-iv and vi-x generally consist of medieval deeds, mostly relating to
Derbyshire, but also including some relating to places in nearby counties such
as Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire, Leicestershire and Cheshire.
Series v consists mainly of medieval deeds relating to locations
north of Derbyshire, e.g. Yorkshire, and the towns of Berwick upon Tweed and
Newcastle upon Tyne.
Series xi consists mostly of late sixteenth to early eighteenth
century deeds, mainly relating to Derbyshire.
Series xii contains charters from the late fifteenth to the early
eighteenth centuries, again mainly relating to Derbyshire. It includes several
distinct collections, including one relating to a messuage in Cambridge,
another to the family of Greaves of Youlgreave and their manor of Beeley, and
an extensive collection for the Bradshaw family of Bradshaw in Derbyshire and
of Marple in Cheshire.
The charters are mostly concerned with land transfers. In
addition, there are some wills and marriage settlements, and a small number of
other miscellaneous items, such as inventories for chantries, lists of
freeholders and surveys of estates.