Armagh Diocesan Registry papers

Repository: Public Record Office of Northern Ireland

Identity Statement

TitleArmagh Diocesan Registry papers
Archive ReferenceGB 0255 PRONI/DIO/4
Web Link to this Entryhttps://iar.ie/archive/armagh-diocesan-registry-papers
Creation Dates1356-1977
Extent Medium409 volumes + c 17,655 documents

Context

Creator(s): Diocese of Armagh

  • Administrative History ↴

    The Archbishops of Armagh acted in a number of overlapping capacities: as Primates of All Ireland, with a direct relationship with Rome and Churches overseas, and with primatial authority and Prerogative Court jurisdiction over all-Ireland; as Metropolitans of the province of Armagh (and after 1839 of the province of Tuam as well); as Diocesans of the archdiocese of Armagh; and as great officers of state, chairmen of various boards and commissions, and governors, trustees or officials of various charitable foundations. Moreover, the Church over which they presided was, especially in the 19th century, in a state of reorganisation, rationalisation and, quite simply, flux, manifest most clearly in the frequent unions and disunions of archbishoprics, bishoprics and parishes. -Extracted from a full account of the Armagh Diocesan Registry Papers in the PRONI catalogue: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/proni

  • Archival History ↴

    Unknown

  • Immediate Source Acquisition ↴

    Unknown

Content & Structure

  • Scope & Content: Diocese of Armagh ↴

    The Armagh Diocesan Registry archive relates to the primacy, the province and the archdiocese of Armagh, 1240, 1291 and 1360-1977. It includes: archbishops’ registers, 1360-1543, 1678-1719, and 1878-1943; historical compilations, 1360-1774, which include rent rolls relating to church lands, inquisitions, etc; correspondence, etc, 1615-1957, relating to schools and education, mainly in the archdiocese of Armagh, including Armagh Royal School and the Erasmus Smith endowment; correspondence, legal papers, accounts, etc, 1713-1934, relating to various charities such as Hugh Boyd’s Charity, the Vaughan Charity and Jackson’s Charity; visitation returns and papers, 1617-1973; and title deeds, leases, rentals, maps, and surveys relating to church lands, 1606-1910.

    -Extracted from a full account of the Armagh Diocesan Registry Papers in the PRONI catalogue: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/proni

  • Appraisal Destruction ↴

    Permanent Retention

  • Arrangement ↴

    The arrangement which has been established is based on two principles:
    1. The papers have been arranged in an order which progressively narrows in geographical scope. Sections DIO/4/2-DIO/4/3 cover all-Ireland and the rest of the world; DIO/4/4-DIO/4/14 cover all-Ireland; DIO/4/15-DIO/4/21 cover the metropolitan provinces of Cashel, Dublin and Tuam; DIO/4/22-DIO/4/28 cover the metropolitan province of Armagh; and DIO/4/29-DIO/4/40 cover the archdiocese of Armagh. This does not mean that all the papers about, say, the archdiocese of Armagh will be found in sections DIO/4/29-DIO/4/40 – many will be found, for example, in DIO/4/2. But it does mean that, beyond DIO/4/2-3, virtually no papers will be found which relate to places outside Ireland. The greater does not exclude the lesser, but the lesser does exclude the greater.
    2. Where physically possible, and where appropriate, papers have been arranged under the smallest administrative unit to which they relate; outside the archdiocese of Armagh, this is the diocese (or other archdiocese), and within the archdiocese of Armagh, this is the parish. The caveat about physical possibility refers to the papers in volume form.
    Thus the collection is arranged as follows:
    DIO/4/1 Lists and calendars of the archive
    DIO/4/2 Primates’ registers
    DIO/4/3 Metropolitan communications
    DIO/4/4 Visitation, rental and account books
    DIO/4/5 Historical compilations
    DIO/4/6 Ecclesiastical law
    DIO/4/7 Papers about the Prerogative Court of Armagh
    DIO/4/8 Papers about education, on an all-Ireland basis, and excluding papers on individual parish schools
    DIO/4/9 Charities
    DIO/4/10 Papers about Convocation and the General Synod
    DIO/4/11 Primate’s general role
    DIO/4/12 Church journals, magazines and other printed matter
    DIO/4/13 Papers which reflect the private capacities of various Armagh functionaries
    DIO/4/14 Genuinely miscellaneous papers, mostly of uncertain provenance
    DIO/4/15 Papers about the dioceses of Cashel, Emly, Lismore and Waterford, a couple of them relating to other diocese within the provinces of Cashel
    DIO/4/16 Small envelope of papers about the dioceses of Aghadoe, Ardfert and Limerick
    DIO/4/17 Cork, Cloyne and Ross
    DIO/4/18 Killaloe, Kilfenora and Kilmacduagh
    DIO/4/19 Dublin, Kildare and Glendalough
    DIO/4/20 Ferns, Leighlin and Ossory
    DIO/4/21 Tuam, Achonry and Killala
    DIO/4/22 Surveys, maps and plans of lands and buildings within the province of Armagh
    DIO/4/23 Triennal visitations, etc
    DIO/4/24 Papers about the dioceses of Ardagh, Elphin and Kilmore
    DIO/4/25 Papers about the diocese of Clogher
    DIO/4/26 Papers about the dioceses of Down, Connor and Dromore
    DIO/4/27 Papers about the dioceses of Derry and Raphoe
    DIO/4/28 Papers about the diocese of Meath
    DIO/4/29 Visitation and other returns and papers about the clergy of the archdiocese of Armagh
    DIO/4/30 Marriage notice books, etc
    DIO/4/31 Papers about confirmations in the archdiocese of Armagh
    DIO/4/32 Individual parishes
    DIO/4/33 Title deeds and inquisitions
    DIO/4/34 Leases
    DIO/4/35 Rentals
    DIO/4/36 Archbishops of Armagh
    DIO/4/37 Cathedral functionaries
    DIO/4/38 Registrars
    DIO/4/39 Consistorial Court
    DIO/4/40 Armagh City and neighbourhood

Conditions of Access & Use

Access Conditions The collection can be consulted in the reading room in PRONI in accordance with PRONI's rules and regulations. http://www.proni.gov.uk/proni_rules_and_regulations_2011
Conditions Governing ReproductionItems may be copied for personal research use only. If a researcher wishes to publish any documents from this collection, a request must be submitted in writing to the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland.
Creation Dates1356-1977
Extent Medium409 volumes + c 17,655 documents
Material Language ScriptEnglish
Finding Aids A descriptive list is available to search online at: http://www.proni.gov.uk/ Archive Web Link →

Allied Materials

Copies InformationMicrofilm copies: MIC563 Selected Items from DIO/4 (Armagh Diocesan Registry)
Publication Note'A Handbook of British Chronology' edited by Powicke and Fryde (2nd ed., London, 1961)

Descriptive Control Area

Archivist NoteNatalie Milne
Rules/ConventionsISAD(G): General International Standard Archival Description. 2nd ed. Ottawa: International Council on Archives, 2000. National Council on Archives: Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names. Chippenham: National Council on Archives, 1997. UK Archival Thesaurus (UKAT)
Date of Descriptions41699