Lord of the manor records prove interesting treasure for history buffs

HISTORIANS, archaeologists and genealogists got very excited last week when the National Archives completed their 30-year programme of updating the entire Manorial Documents Register of England and Wales and made it accessible online.

This is also good news for local history buffs, authors, people tracing their family trees and trivia compilers.

A manor is a landed estate belonging to a lord providing housing for tenants.

This index covers six centuries of data relating to land ownership, boundaries, buildings, settlements, and agriculture.

Records covering such diverse topics as industry, crime, commerce, the make-up of markets and fairs, health and even what we ate provide an invaluable insight into the past.

The documents reveal the relevance of social hierarchy through the centuries.

The purpose of the index is to provide location information for specific documentation.

Documents can then be viewed by appointment or copies delivered by post. There is usually a fee involved.

If you wish to view the index but don’t have internet access, checkout your local or central library and don’t forget our own Teesside Archive is now situated in the Dorman Museum.

The manor of Kirklevington moved from the de Brus family to the Percys at the turn of the 13th century, when the first Earl of

Northumberland married Isabel de Brus.

When the Percys fell out of favour with Henry VIII, the manor was passed to the Bowes family of Barnard Castle.

Exploring the index, I discovered the Percys still hold the 16th century Kirklevington court rolls at Alnwick Castle. Sounds like a grand day out for a history geek.