Kent Extracts from Pipe Rolls
These webpages are designed to be viewed with the screen
resolution set at 800 x 600 and text size
at normal. HOW TO
Henry I 1130 only
Henry II 1155-1188
Richard I 1189-1198
John I 1198-1215
Henry III 1218-1230
Exchequer Pipe Rolls
Exchequer pipe rolls contain accounts of the royal income, arranged by county,
for each financial year. They are the written record of the audit process of
the king's accounts for one financial year, which ran from Michaelmas (29
September) to Michaelmas.
They represent the earliest surviving series of public records,
and are essentially continuous from 1155 onwards until the 19th century; one
roll from 1129-30 also survives.
The
early pipe rolls provide a useful source of information from a period when few
other records are available. Those from the late 12th and early 13th century
have been published with indexes, mainly by the Pipe Roll Society. The Pipe
Roll Society editions are of the Latin text, in "record type" to
reproduce the highly abbreviated style of the originals until 1175 (21 Henry
II), and with abbreviations extended thereafter. The rolls themselves were
written in what was originally a clear Exchequer hand. In the period before
1300, and for some time afterwards, they are quite easy to read.
The
sheriffs' accounts form the core of the early pipe rolls. As the king's
representative in the county, the sheriff was responsible for collecting
revenues from the royal estates and other sources. The rolls also record some
items of expenditure by the sheriffs, and include lists of lands formerly part
of the royal estates, which had been given to private individuals. In
addition, there are payments of feudal dues and taxes, 'offerings' to the king
in connection with legal disputes, records of penalties (amercements) imposed
by the itinerant justices, and miscellaneous items such as enrolled charters.
Format
Each pipe roll was made up from a number of rotuli. A rotulus,
the Latin word for ‘roll’, was composed of two membranes of
parchment, stitched together in the middle, and with both sides used for
writing: the front was known as the 'face', and the back as the 'dorse'. The rotuli
were sewn head to head 'Exchequer style'
Arrangement: by county
Pipe rolls each include a number of county accounts, with an increasing
number of miscellaneous accounts being added at the end.
Arrangement: within each county
Within each county account are a number of sections, some with headings,
beginning with the county farm, presented by the sheriff. This was a fixed sum
due annually (hence 'farm', from the Latin 'firma' for 'fixed'), based largely
around lands retained as 'demesne' by the crown. Over the years, royal land
grants, recorded in the pipe roll as terre date entries, reduced the
base from which sheriffs could draw revenue. As well as terre date
deductions from the county farm, standard grants such as alms to religious
houses and statutory payments to individuals were also recorded in this first
section. Local expenditure (e.g. on royal castles and houses, such as building
works and repairs, or supply of munitions), was authorised by writ to be paid
from local funds, and the sum deducted from the county farm payment.
Accordingly, this section of the pipe roll can provide information on local
government, especially before the Chancery rolls begin.
After the farm, the county account continues with debts carried
over from previous years, some under old, often abbreviated, headings.
For example, De Oblatis signifies old offerings and fines made by
individuals to the crown before the current year repeated annually, with new
payments against them being recorded as they were made.
Common law eyres and forest eyres, visits by royal justices to dispense
justice in the shires, are under headings beginning De Amerciamentis,
and which often also give the names of the leading justices. They provide an
important source of information for legal historians where specifically legal
sources are lacking. The earlier rolls give lists of names of those on whom
financial penalties were imposed in the eyres
Records of taxation in the form of scutage, a
commutation of military service, and tallage, a tax on boroughs,
towns and royal manors, are also given separate sections.
Scutage accounts often list those exempted, and the number of knight's fees
for which they were liable, which can provide information on land-holding in
the counties. Tallage accounts give the names of the more important
inhabitants of towns liable for the tax.
New financial offerings to the crown for favours are also
recorded, under the heading Nova Oblata (‘new offerings’),
usually at the end of each county account, and are the most recent entries on
the roll, often being added after the financial year under review had ended.
Miscellaneous Accounts
Miscellaneous ‘foreign’ accounts, so-called because they were outside
the county accounts, were commonly enrolled in the main body of the pipe roll
from the early thirteenth century onwards, after the county accounts. They
covered lands temporarily in the custody of the crown, vacancies in bishoprics
(including the archbishopric of Canterbury), wardrobe accounts and the
accounts of royal building projects. They can provide information about a
variety of subjects, including prices, estate management and building
works.
[Information extracted primarily from The National Archives’ Research Guide:
Early Pipe Rolls, 1130-c.1300, Domestic Records Information 31]
Debbie Goacher
Henry I 1130 only
Henry II 1155-1188
Richard I 1189-1198
John I 1198-1215
Henry III 1218-1230
TNA: PRO E 372/1-68, 74
Henry I 1130 only
E 372/1 1129 Mich-1130 Mich (printed by Record Commission, 1833; reprinted by
PRS, 1929, The Great Roll of the Pipe for the thirty-first year of
the reign of Henry I, Michaelmas 1130, pp
63-68) 31 Hen I
Henry II 1155-1188
E 372/2 1155 Mich-1156 Mich (printed by Rec. Comm., 1844; reprinted by PRS,
1930, pp 64-68) The Great Rolls of the Pipe for the
second, third, and fourth
years of the reign of King Henry the Second, A.D. 1155, 1156, 1157, 1158,
2 Hen II
With full transcription and translation into
English of the Latin Text by Simon Neal
Plus image of the Kent Pipe Roll, 2 Hen. II (E
372/2: Rot. 12, m. 1d)
E 372/3 1156 Mich-1157 Mich (printed by Rec. Comm., 1844; reprinted by PRS,
1930, The Great Rolls of the Pipe for the second,
third, and fourth
years of the reign of King Henry the Second, A.D. 1155, 1156, 1157, 1158,
pp 101-103) 3 Hen II
E 372/4 1157 Mich-1158 Mich (printed by Rec. Comm., 1844; reprinted by PRS,
1930, The Great Rolls of the Pipe for the second, third, and
fourth
years of the reign of King Henry the Second, A.D. 1155, 1156, 1157, 1158,
pp 179-181) 4 Hen II
E 372/5 1158 Mich-1159 Mich (printed in PRS 1, The Great Roll of the
Pipe for the fifth year of the reign of King Henry II, A.D. 1158-1159,
pp 57-59, 61) 5 Hen II
E 372/6 1159 Mich-1160 Mich (printed in PRS 2, The Great Roll of the
Pipe for the sixth year of the reign of King Henry II, A.D. 1159-1160,
pp 53-55) 6 Hen II
E 372/7 1160 Mich-1161 Mich (printed in PRS 4, The Great Roll of the
Pipe for the seventh year of the reign of King Henry II, A.D. 1160-1161, pp
60-63) 7 Hen II
E 372/8 1161 Mich-1162 Mich (printed in PRS 5, The Great Roll of the
Pipe for the eighth year of the reign of King Henry II, A.D. 1161-1162,
pp 52-55) 8 Hen II
E 372/9 1162 Mich-1163 Mich (printed in PRS 6, The Great Roll of the
Pipe for the ninth year of the reign of King Henry II, A.D. 1162-1163,
pp 74, 69-70) 9 Hen II
E 372/10 1163 Mich-1164 Mich (printed in PRS 7, The Great Roll of
the Pipe for the tenth year of the reign of King Henry II, A.D. 1163-1164,
pp 39-40) 10 Hen II
E 372/11 1164 Mich-1165 Mich (printed in PRS 8, The Great Roll of
the Pipe for the eleventh year of the reign of King Henry II, A.D. 1164-1165,
pp 102-109) 11 Hen II
E 372/12 1165 Mich-1166 Mich (printed in PRS 9, The Great Roll of
the Pipe for the twelfth year of the reign of King Henry II, A.D. 1165-1166,
pp 110-115) 12 Hen II
E 372/13 1166 Mich-1167 Mich (printed in PRS 11, The Great Roll of
the Pipe for the thirteenth year of the reign of King Henry II, A.D. 1166-1167,
pp 196-202) 13 Hen II
E 372/14 1167 Mich-1168 Mich (printed in PRS 12, The Great Roll of
the Pipe for the fourteenth year of the reign of King Henry II, A.D. 1167-1168,
pp 208-214) 14 Hen II
E 372/15 1168 Mich-1169 Mich (printed in PRS 13, The Great Roll of
the Pipe for the fifteenth year of the reign of King Henry II, A.D. 1168-1169,
pp 160-166) 15 Hen II
E 372/16 1169 Mich-1170 Mich (printed in PRS 15, The Great Roll of
the Pipe for the sixteenth year of the reign of King Henry II, A.D. 1169-1170,
pp 156-161) 16 Hen II
E 372/17 1170 Mich-1171 Mich (printed in PRS 16, The Great Roll of
the Pipe for the seventeenth year of the reign of King Henry II, A.D.
1170-1171, pp 136-143) 17 Hen II
E 372/18 1171 Mich-1172 Mich (printed in PRS 18, The Great Roll of
the Pipe for the eighteenth year of the reign of King Henry II, A.D. 1171-1172
, pp 134-140) 18 Hen II
E 372/19 1172 Mich-1173 Mich (printed in PRS 19, The Great Roll of
the Pipe for nineteenth year of the reign of King Henry II, A.D. 1172-1173,
pp 79-90) 19 Hen II
E 372/20 1173 Mich-1174 Mich (printed in PRS 21, The Great Roll of
the Pipe for the twentieth year of the reign of King Henry II, A.D 1173-1174,
pp 1-2) 20 Hen II
E 372/21 1174 Mich-1175 Mich (printed in PRS 22, The Great Roll of
the Pipe for the twenty-first year of the reign of King Henry II, A.D.
1174-1175, pp 207-221) 21 Hen II
E 372/22 1175 Mich-1176 Mich (printed in PRS 25, The Great Roll of
the Pipe for the twenty-second year of the reign of King Henry II, A.D.
1175-1176, pp 205-211) 22 Hen II
E 372/23 1176 Mich-1177 Mich (printed in PRS 26, The Great Roll of
the Pipe for the twenty-third year of the reign of King Henry II, A.D.
1176-1177, pp 202-208, p 209 ‘Combustiones’
) 23 Hen II
E 372/24 1177 Mich-1178 Mich (printed in PRS 27, The Great Roll of
the Pipe of the twenty-fourth year of the reign of King Henry II, A.D.
1177-1178, pp 120-124) 24 Hen II
E 372/25 1178 Mich-1179 Mich (printed in PRS 28, The Great Roll of
the Pipe for the twenty-fifth year of the reign of King Henry II, A.D.
1178-1179, pp 115-120) 25 Hen II
E 372/26 1179 Mich-1180 Mich (printed in PRS 29, The Great Roll of
the Pipe for the twenty-sixth year of the reign of King Henry II, A.D.
1179-1180, pp 142-148) 26 Hen II
E 372/27 1180 Mich-1181 Mich (printed in PRS 30, The Great Roll of
the Pipe for the twenty-seventh year of the reign of King Henry II, A.D.
1180-1181, pp 146-152) 27 Hen II
E 372/28 1181 Mich-1182 Mich (printed in PRS 31, The Great Roll of
the Pipe for the twenty-eighth year of the reign of King Henry II, A.D.
1181-1182, pp 1, 149-155) 28 Hen II
E 372/29 1182 Mich-1183 Mich (printed in PRS 32, The Great Roll of
the Pipe for the twenty-ninth year of the reign of King Henry II, A.D.
1182-1183, pp 154-160) 29 Hen II
E 372/30 1183 Mich-1184 Mich (printed in PRS 33, The Great Roll of
the Pipe for the thirtieth year of the reign of King Henry II, A.D. 1183-1184,
(NO ACCOUNT FOR KENT) 30 Hen II
E 372/31 1184 Mich-1185 Mich (printed in PRS 34, The Great Roll of
the Pipe for the thirty-first year of the reign of King Henry II, A.D.
1184-1185, pp 223-234) 31 Hen II
E 372/32 1185 Mich-1186 Mich (printed in PRS 36, The Great Roll of
the Pipe for the thirty-second year of the reign of King Henry II, A.D.
1185-1186, pp 185-193, Archbishop of
Canterbury: pp 199-200) 32 Hen II
E 372/33 1186 Mich-1187 Mich (printed in PRS 37, The Great Roll of
the Pipe for the thirty-third year of the reign of King Henry II, A.D.
1186-1187, pp 1, 204-211) 33 Hen II
E 372/34 1187 Mich-1188 Mich (printed in PRS 38, The Great Roll of
the Pipe for the thirty-fourth year of the reign of King Henry II, A.D.
1187-1188, pp 201-209) 34 Hen II
Richard I
1189-1198
E 372/35 1188 Mich-1189 Mich (printed by Rec. Comm., 1844, The Great
Roll of the Pipe for the first year of the reign of King Richard I, A.D.
1189-1190, pp 230-240) 1 Ric I
With full translation into English of the Latin Text by Simon Neal
Plus image of the Kent Pipe Roll 1 Richard
(E372-35 Rot. 14. m 1)
E 372/36 1189 Mich-1190 Mich (printed in PRS 39, New Series 1, The
Great Roll of the Pipe for the second year of the reign of King Richard I,
Michaelmas 1190, pp 146-151) 2 Ric I
E 372/37 1190 Mich-1191 Mich (printed in PRS 40, New Series 2, The
Great Rolls of the Pipe of the third and fourth years of the reign of King
Richard I, Michaelmas 1191 and Michaelmas 1192,
pp 141-148) 3 Ric I
E 372/38 1191 Mich-1192 Mich (printed in PRS 40, New Series 2, The
Great Rolls of the Pipe of the third and fourth years of the reign of King
Richard I, Michaelmas 1191 and Michaelmas 1192,
pp 307- 314) 4 Ric I
E 372/39 1192 Mich-1193 Mich (printed in PRS 41, New Series 3, The
Great Roll of the Pipe for the fifth year of the reign of King Richard I,
Michaelmas 1193, pp 165-172) 5 Ric I
E 372/40 1193 Mich-1194 Mich (printed in PRS 43, New Series 5, The
Great Roll of the Pipe for the sixth year of the reign of King Richard I,
Michaelmas 1194, pp 1-3, 242-251) 6 Ric I
E 372/41 1194 Mich-1195 Mich (printed in PRS 44, New Series 6, The
Great Roll of the Pipe for the seventh year of the reign of King Richard I,
Michaelmas 1195, pp 1-8, 58) 7 Ric I
E 372/42 1195 Mich-1196 Mich Chancellor's Roll (printed in PRS 45, New
Series 7, The Chancellor's Roll for the eighth year of the reign of
King Richard I, Michaelmas 1196, pp 212,
281-290) No Pipe Roll survives for this year 8 Ric I
E 372/43 1196 Mich-1197 Mich (printed in PRS 46, New Series 8, The
Great Roll of the Pipe for the ninth year of the reign of King Richard I,
Michaelmas 1197, pp 25-33) 9 Ric I
E 372/44 1197 Mich-1198 Mich (printed in PRS 47, New Series 9, The
Great Roll of the Pipe for the tenth year of the reign of King Richard I,
Michaelmas 1198 , pp 198-210) 10 Ric I
John I 1198-1215
E 372/45 1198 Mich-1199 Mich (printed in PRS 48, New Series 10, The
Great Roll of the Pipe for the first year of the reign of King John,
Michaelmas 1199, pp 59-70) 1 John
With full translation into English of the Latin Text by Simon Neal
E 372/46 1199 Mich-1200 Mich (printed in PRS 50, New Series 12, The
Great Roll of the Pipe for the second year of the reign of King John,
Michaelmas 1200, pp 208-216) 2 John
E 372/47 1200 Mich-1201 Mich (printed in PRS 52, New Series 14, The
Great Roll of the Pipe for the third year of the reign of King John,
Michaelmas 1201, pp 283-291, 293) 3 John
E 372/48 1201 Mich-1202 Mich (printed in PRS 53, New Series 15, The
Great Roll of the Pipe for the fourth year of the reign of King John,
Michaelmas 1202, pp 210-217) 4 John
E 372/49 1202 Mich-1203 Mich (printed in PRS 54, New Series 16, The
Great Roll of the Pipe for the fifth year of the reign of King John,
Michaelmas 1203, pp 22-28) 5 John
E 372/50 1203 Mich-1204 Mich (printed in PRS 56, New Series 18, The
Great Roll of the Pipe for the sixth year of the reign of King John,
Michaelmas 1204, pp 212-220) 6 John
E 372/51 1204 Mich-1205 Mich (printed in PRS 57, New Series 19, The
Great Roll of the Pipe for the seventh year of the reign of King John,
Michaelmas 1205, pp 111-120) 7 John
E 372/52 1205 Mich-1206 Mich (printed in PRS 58, New Series 20, The
Great Roll of the Pipe for the eighth year of the reign of King John,
Michaelmas 1206, pp 46-55) 8 John
E 372/53 1206 Mich-1207 Mich (printed in PRS 60, New Series 22, The
Great Roll of the Pipe for the ninth year of the reign of King John,
Michaelmas 1207, pp 30-37) 9 John
E 372/54 1207 Mich-1208 Mich (printed in PRS 61, New Series 23, The
Great Roll of the Pipe for the tenth year of the reign of King John,
Michaelmas 1208, pp 96-102, 207) 10 John
E 372/55 1208 Mich-1209 Mich (printed in PRS 62, New Series 24, The
Great Roll of the Pipe for the eleventh year of the reign of King John,
Michaelmas 1209, pp 9-15, 37) 11 John
E 372/56 1209 Mich-1210 Mich (printed in PRS 64, New Series 26, The
Great Roll of the Pipe for the twelfth year of the reign of King John,
Michaelmas 1210, pp 118-121) 12 John
E 372/57 1210 Mich-1211 Mich (Pipe Roll printed with additions from
Chancellor's Roll in PRS 66, New Series 28,, The Great Roll of the Pipe
for the thirteenth year of the reign of King John, Michaelmas 1211,
pp 235-246) 13 John
E 372/58 1211 Mich-1212 Mich (printed in PRS 68, New Series 30, The
Great Roll of the Pipe for the fourteenth year of the reign of King John,
Michaelmas 1212, pp 11-16, 40-42) 14 John
E 372/59 For 15 John missing at transfer 1212 Mich-1213 Mich (printed in PRS
66, New Series 28 The Great Roll of the Pipe for the thirteenth year
of the reign of King John, Michaelmas 1211) (see also E 372/57) 13 John
E 372/60 1213 Mich-1214 Mich (printed in PRS 73, New Series 35, The
Great Roll of the Pipe for the sixteenth year of the reign of King John,
Michaelmas 1214, pp 26-34) 16 John
E 372/61 1214 Mich-1215 Mich (printed in PRS 75, New Series 37, Pipe
Roll 17 John, NO ACCOUNT FOR KENT) 17 John
Henry III 1218-1230
E 372/62 Mich 1218 (printed in PRS 77, New Series 39, The Great Roll
of the Pipe for the second year of the reign of King Henry III, Michaelmas
1218, NO ACCOUNT FOR KENT) 2 Hen III
E 372/63 1218 Mich-1219 Mich (printed in PRS 80, New Series 42, The
Great Roll of the Pipe for the third year of the reign of King Henry III,
Michaelmas 1219, pp 144-152) 3 Hen III
E 372/64 1219 Mich-1220 Mich (printed in PRS 85, New Series 47, The
Great Roll of the Pipe for the fourth year of the reign of King Henry III,
Michaelmas 1220, pp 156-171) 4 Hen III
E 372/65 1220 Mich-1221 Mich (printed in PRS 86, New Series 48, The
Great Roll of the Pipe for the fifth year of the reign of King Henry III,
Michaelmas 1221, pp 200-209) 5 Hen III
E 372/66 1221 Mich-1222 Mich (printed in PRS 89, New Series 51, The
Great Roll of the Pipe for the sixth year of the reign of King Henry III,
Michaelmas 1222, pp 56-64) 6 Hen III
E 372/67 1222 Mich-1223 Mich (printed in PRS 94, New Series 56, The
Great Roll of the Pipe for the seventh year of the reign of King Henry III,
Michaelmas 1223, pp 94-100) 7 Hen
III
E 372/68 1223 Mich-1224 Mich (printed in PRS 92, New Series 54, The
Great Roll of the Pipe for the eighth year of the reign of King Henry III,
Michaelmas 1224, pp 143-150) 8 Hen III
E 372/74 1229 Mich-1230 Mich (printed in PRS 42, New Series 4, The
Great Roll of the Pipe for the fourteenth year of the reign of King Henry III,
Michaelmas 1230, pp 110-118 + Residuum p
72) 14 Hen III
For details about the advantages of membership of the Kent
Archaeological Society click
here
Back to
Research Back to Homepage
Kent Archaeological Society is a registered
charity number 223382 © Kent Archaeological Society January 2010
This website is constructed
by enthusiastic amateurs. Any errors noticed by other researchers will be
to gratefully received so
that we can amend our pages to give as accurate a record as possible.
Please send details to research@kentarchaeology.org.uk
|