RE: Plea Rolls in the National Archives

<be pleased to hear from them.>>

I too would like to make contact with someone who has worked on
CP40/555-987, the 15th century Court of Common Pleas rolls (or indeed
the same rolls from before or after the 15C). I'm hoping to be able to
work on them, and would like to chat about the rolls as a subject of
research, whether there are any guides or finding aids relating to them,
what literature discussing them exists.

Chris Phillips...

I have always understood that finding aids for CP 40 are minimal, and my
only success in finding entries has been when I've had a precise reference
to work from.

The one potentially useful reference I've seen is to the 30 volumes of
Plantagenet-Harrison manuscripts. The National Archives catalogue says that
"This series can be viewed as a series of informal, selective, manuscript
calendars to: CP 40", and that they also contain material from the coram
rege rolls:

I tried to look at these about 10 years ago, but the staff I asked were
unable to track them down (I think I must have been asking the wrong staff).
At any rate, they are in the online catalogue, so there shouldn't be any
difficulty finding them now.

The other thing I have wondered about is that - if I remember correctly -
the original program of research for the Victoria County History included
systematic extraction from various classes of records in the PRO. I'm not
sure of the details - whether it was done nationally or only for selected
counties, whether the notes still exist or where they might have ended up -
but perhaps it would be worth looking iinto.

Chris Phillips

Paul Mackenzie...

Hi Matt & Chris:

I have seen the reference to this publication before. Unfortunately, I
believe you need to see these manuscripts in situ. If you do indeed
follow this up, would you please advise us whether these manuscripts
have an index?

Chris Phillips...

I'm not sure whether you mean the Plantagenet-Harrison manuscripts or the
VCH notes (whatever form they took).

Paul Mackenzie...

Sorry, I meant the Plantagenet-Harrison manuscripts

I have just realised that the link I posted previously for the P-H MSS
brings up an error message. The information on them can be found by going to
the National Archives catalogue
into the "Go to reference" box, and finally clicking on the "Full details"
tab. This does say that "Each volume is prefaced by a full index."

Paul Mackenzie...

Thanks very much Chris. It would be interesting to see these indexes.
It would be great if these indexes were online. I had tried tracking
these manuscripts via the LDS but unfortunately they do not have them.

Regards Paul.

kenneth jacob...

As far as I can remember, each Plantagenet Harrison volume has an
index. One really has to consult them in situ.
Kenneth Jacob

As for the VCH material, I will try to follow this up with the VCH, and if I
find out anything useful I'll post it here.

Chris Phillips

Matt Tompkins

RE: Plea Rolls in the National Archives - CP40