BELL JONES PAPERS

Hawarden Consistory Court records, 1564-1839, including acts, [c. 1617]-1699, process papers, 1564-1817, probate records, 1566-1778, and marriage bonds and licences, 1628-1839; papers relating to the incumbent at Hawarden, 1729-1914, including Preachers' Books, 1824-1914, and tithe records, 1740-1843; vestry minutes, 1726-1894; vestry acts, 1790-1813; select vestry minutes, 1740-1764; churchwardens' accounts and other records, 1668-1954; records of the overseers, 1613-1847, including accounts, 1687-1817, apprenticeship indentures, 1696-1782, bastardy bonds, 1613-1832, and settlement examinations and removal orders, 1717-1846; items relating to local charities, 1745-1912; documents relating to enclosure in Saltney and Flint, 1778-1828; letters relating to Hawarden Grammar School, 1805-1825; acts and reports relating to the River Dee, 1684-1932; Glynne family papers, 1724-1859; Gladstone family papers, 1865-1915; prints and photographs, [18th century]-1934; plans, 1684, 1834-1839, and photostats of plans, [20th century] of the River Dee; items relating to St Mary's Church, Broughton, 1825-[c. 1924]; Civil War tracts and pamphlets, 1640-1643; and articles and notes on local history by Bell Jones and others, [mid 19th century]-1929.

This collection of consistory court, parish and antiquarian papers was purchased from the representatives of the late William Bell Jones, FSA, JP (1868-1958), who was for many years churchwarden, parish clerk and postmaster of Hawarden, Flintshire. He held at various times the offices of Chairman of Hawarden Parish Council and Rural District Council, Governor of Hawarden Grammar School, Manager of Hawarden Church Schools, and Secretary of the Flintshire Historical Society. In his official capacities, and due to his interests in local history, he amassed a collection of parish records relating to Hawarden, including Consistory Court records. As a peculiar, the parish of Hawarden was exempt from episcopal jurisdiction, and, as such, had its own Consistory Court. The rectors held their own ecclesiastical courts, proved wills and granted marriage licences. Its powers were abolished in 1858, and at that date, the majority of the Hawarden wills were transferred to the St Asaph Probate Registry, together with other Consistory Court papers. Bell Jones also collected material relating to the Glynne and Gladstone families, Hawarden Grammar School, and antiquarian notes.

The major part of this collection consists of parish records of various kinds, including a small collection of Consistory Court papers retained in Hawarden when the wills, inventories and other papers were removed to St. Asaph District Probate Registry. For an index to this latter group (now in the National Library of Wales) see Publications of the Flintshire Historical Society Vol.4 (1913). A small group of parish papers, also in Flintshire Record Office (D/CL/54-71) complements this collection and the Hawarden Parish Records.

Arranged into the following: Consistory Court; incumbent; vestry; churchwardens; overseers (Hawarden parish records); documents; and notes and articles (antiquarian collection).

Data Protection Act restrictions will apply to any items less than 100 years old that contain personal information as defined by the Act.

Please order documents using the alternative reference number (where provided).

Compiled by Rhys Jones for the ANW project. The following source was used in the compilation of this description: Flintshire Record Office, Bell Jones MSS; Veysey, A. G. (ed.), Guide to the Flintshire Record Office (Denbigh, 1974).

Hard copies of the catalogue are available at Flintshire Record Office and the National Register of Archives.

Compiled by Rhys Jones for the ANW project. Item level descriptions input by Mrs Jean Parry. The following source was used in the compilation of this description: Flintshire Record Office, Bell Jones MSS; Veysey, A. G. (ed.), Guide to the Flintshire Record Office (Denbigh, 1974). Updated by Steven Davies at Flintshire Record Office in 2014.

Usual copyright regulations apply

Usual copyright regulations apply.

All records have been retained.

Accruals are not expected.

Further Hawarden parish records are Flintshire Record Office, D/CL/54-71 and P/28. A number of printed books and pamphlets including Bell Jones' four-volume typewritten "History of the Parish of Hawarden" were purchased with these papers, and are to be found in the Flintshire Record Office searchroom library. For a discussion of the work of the Consistory Court, see W.E.B. Whittaker's "On 'Peculiars' with special reference to the 'Peculiar' of Hawarden", Chester Archaeological Society Journal Vol. 9 (1904).