| Description | The bishop's visitation of his diocese was usually held every three years, the archdeacon visiting annually. The main records of visitations are the visitation books (B/V/1) which form a single chronological series, and the separate series of visitation papers comprising citations (B/V/4), churchwardens' presentments and primary visitation returns (B/V/5). In addition, glebe terriers (B/V/6) and parish register transcripts (B/V/7) were returned to the bishop at his visitation and are therefore classed as visitation records.
Records of metropolitical visitations by the Archbishop of Canterbury were found with the episcopal visitation records and have been retained in the episcopal series. It appears that retention of such records locally was the usual practice. |