The Close Rolls
Records of Private
Instruction
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Close Rolls
Medieval close rolls were administrative enrolment
records kept by the English royal Chancery starting in 1204 under King John.
They contained copies of letters close (litterae
clausae), which were private, folded, and sealed
royal instructions sent to specific, individual recipients rather than open
public declarations.
Rotuli clausi (Latin, the Close Rolls) were 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.
From about 1204, the Close Rolls initially recorded royal grants
of land, money, and instructions to local authorities. After 1226 financial
records were largely shifted to the Liberate Rolls, leaving the Close Rolls
focused on governance, political commands, and legal matters. Over time, people
used the rolls to formally enrol private land deals, family settlements,
wardships, and wills, a practice that surged after many records were lost
during the Peasants' Revolt.
The last writ enrolled on a close roll was dated 1532-33.
Published English summaries known as calendars cover the
rolls from 1272 through 1509 (and beyond), making them accessible for
historians and genealogists.
The Close Rolls 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. The National Archives
explain land
and property ownership deeds between 1227 to 1930. They can also be found on line at Medieval
Genealogy. The index below will take you directly to those Calendars of
Close Rolls which are available on line.
Index to the Close Rolls
Rotuli Litterarum Clausarum
in Turri Londinensi asservati, Volume 2, 1224 to 1227.
Close
Rolls of
the reign of Henry III, 1227 to 1231.
Close
Rolls of the reign of Henry III, 1231 to 1234.
Close Rolls of the reign of Henry III, 1234 to 1237.
Close
Rolls of the reign of Henry III, 1237 to 1242.
Close
Rolls of
the reign of Henry III, 1242 to 1247.
Close
Rolls of
the reign of Henry III, 1247 to 1251.
Close Rolls of the reign of Henry III, 1251 to 1253.
Close Rolls of the reign of Henry III, 1253 to 1254.
Close Rolls of the reign of Henry III, 1254 to 1256.
Close Rolls of the reign of Henry III, 1256 to 1259.
Close Rolls of the reign of Henry III, 1259 to 1261.
Close Rolls of the reign of Henry III, 1261 to 1264.
Close
Rolls of the reign of Henry III, 1264 to 1268.
Close
Rolls of the reign of Henry III, 1268 to 1272.
Close Rolls of the reign of Edward I, 1272 to 1279.
Close Rolls of the reign of Edward I, 1279 to 1288.
Close Rolls of the reign of Edward I, 1288 to 1296.
Close
Rolls of the reign of Edward I, 1296 to 1302.
Close Rolls of the reign of Edward I, 1302 to 1307.
Close
Rolls of the reign of Edward II, 1307 to 1313.
Close
Rolls of the reign of Edward II, 1313 to 1318.
Close Rolls of the reign of Edward II, 1318 to 1323.
Close Rolls of the reign of Edward II, 1323 to 1327.
Close Rolls of the reign of Edward III, 1327 to 1330.
Close Rolls of the reign of Edward III, 1330 to 1333.
Close Rolls of
the reign of Edward III, 1333 to 1337.
Close Rolls of the reign of Edward III, 1337 to 1339.
Close Rolls of the reign of Edward III, 1339 to 1341.
Close
Rolls of the reign of Edward III, 1341 to 1343.
Close Rolls of the reign of Edward III, 1343 to 1346.
Close Rolls of the reign of Edward III, 1346 to 1349.
Close Rolls of
the reign of Edward III, 1349 to 1354.
Close Rolls of the reign of Edward III, 1354 to 1360.
Close Rolls of
the reign of Edward III, 1360 to 1364.
Close
Rolls of the reign of Edward III, 1364 to 1368.
Close
Rolls of the reign of Edward III, 1369 to 1374.
Close Rolls of the reign of Edward III, 1374 to 1377.
Close
Rolls of
the reign of Richard II, 1377 to 1381.
Close Rolls of the reign of Richard II, 1381 to 1385.
Close Rolls of the reign of Richard II, 1385 to 1389.
Close
Rolls of the reign of Richard II, 1389 to 1392.
Close
Rolls of
the reign of Richard II, 1392 to 1396.
Close Rolls of the reign of Henry IV, 1399 to 1402.
Close
Rolls of the reign of Henry IV, 1402 to 1405.
Close
Rolls of
the reign of Henry IV, 1405 to 1409.
Close Rolls of the reign of Henry IV, 1409 to 1413.
Close
Rolls Index 1399
to 1413.
Close Rolls of the reign of Henry V, 1413 to 1419.
Close
Rolls of the reign of Henry V, 1419 to 1422.
Close Rolls of the reign of Henry VI, 1422 to 1429.
Close
Rolls of the reign of Henry VI, 1429 to 1435.
Close Rolls of the reign of Henry VI, 1435 to 1441.
Close
Rolls of the reign of Henry VI, 1441 to 1447.
Close
Rolls of the reign of Henry VI, 1447 to 1454.
Close
Rolls of the reign of Henry VI, 1454 to 1461.
Close
Rolls of the reign of Edward IV, 1461 to 1468.
Close
Rolls of the reign of Edward IV, 1470 to 1471.
Close
Rolls of the reign of Edward IV, Edward V and Richard III, 1476 to 1485.
Close
Rolls of the reign of Henry VII, 1485 to 1500.
Close
Rolls of the reign of Henry VII, 1500 to 1509.