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Enrolments of private deeds, writs of livery season conveyances |
The Close Rolls
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Rotuli clausi (Latin, the Close Rolls) are administrative
records of the royal chancery to preserve a central record of all letters close
issued by the chancery in the name of the Crown. They were usually records of
orders or instructions of a personal nature and were issued folded and sealed
or ‘closed’. They were then enrolled in the close rolls.
Close Rolls
cover the period 1204-1903. The last writ enrolled on a close roll was dated
1532-33.
They are
helpful to find names, family relationships and dates of death, addresses and
occupations, land held and wills.
Close Rolls can
be found at the National Archives at Kew C 54 - Chancery and Supreme Court of
Judicature: Close Rolls. They can also be found on line
at Medieval
Genealogy.
Their
genealogical value is to find names, family relationships and dates of death.
Addresses and occupations. Land held and wills.