| Description | The visitation books, apart from B/V/1/1 which is a volume of monastic visitations, and B/V/1/18, which is a volume of procurations to be paid by the clergy (see also B/V/9), contain the following information: the books known as libri cleri list the clergy, schoolmasters, churchwardens and other lay representatives of the parish summoned to attend the visitation; some books list faults (comperta) found by the visitor on hearing and judging the churchwardens' presentments, together with faults (e.g. in the fabric) for which he might hold the churchwardens or clergy responsible; and some books contain acta of cases referred to the church courts. Acta were sometimes entered in separate volumes, but occur most often in the rear of the early libri cleri. Some books contain more than one type of entry. Sometimes, rarely before 1660, and more frequently in the 18th century, the libri cleri give details of the dates of ordination, licensing and institution of the clergy; otherwise they only give names and, from about 1775, usually also degrees.
The volumes of churchwardens' presentments, comperta and acta list a wide variety of faults, including those relating to the church fabric, furnishings and churchyard, moral offences of parishioners, non-attendance at church (including recusants and non-conformists) and the shortcomings of the clergy and parish officers. The churchwardens presented offenders, but in general at Lichfield these files of original presentments have not survived. Entries in a visitation book covering Derby archdeaconry in 1609 (B/V/1/26), together with the main series of presentments (B/V/5), include almost all the surviving presentments, although they are occasionally found among the parish register transcripts (B/V/7), having been returned at visitation with them. From 1715, all Lichfield visitation books are libri cleri only.
Visitation proceedings were recorded by archdeaconry, and some books do not cover all four archdeaconries.
Books relate to bishops' visitations unless otherwise stated.
Documents which were separate from the main series were deposited as part of LD412.
A1/V/1/1 below was found in the Diocesan muniment room and formerly had the reference Ex D and C A/V/1/1. The articles of enquiry which it contains are completed in considerable detail and relate to the state of the church fabric, the benefice income, the frequency of service, the provision of schools and other matters. For later articles of enquiry, see A1/V/2/1-9 below.
A3/V/1/1-3 below were found in the Cathedral Library and formerly had the references Ex D and C A/V/1/2-4.The articles of enquiry which they contain are completed in considerable detail and relate to the state of the church fabric, the benefice income, the frequency of service, the provision of schools and other matters |