Records of the Court of Wards and Liveries

Description and record details

Reference	WARD
Title	Records of the Court of Wards and Liveries
Date	c1100-1891
Description	Records of the Court of Wards and Liveries. They are not arranged systematically by area of business and documents relating to all fields of the administration of wardship and livery during the period of the court's existence and earlier are found in all the WARD series. A rough guide is as follows and strays will be found in most series. Inquisitions Post Mortem: WARD 7Grants of wardship and livery: WARD 4, WARD 5, WARD 6, WARD 9 and WARD 12Leases of wards' lands: WARD 6, WARD 9 and WARD 12Deeds and evidences: WARD 2Valuation documents (surveys and extents): WARD 4, WARD 5 and WARD 9Ministers' and receiver generals' accounts: WARD 8, WARD 9, WARD 10 and WARD 11Process for the recovery of debt: WARD 9, WARD 10 and WARD 11Judicial business: WARD 1, WARD 2, WARD 3, WARD 9, WARD 10, WARD 11, WARD 13, WARD 14 and WARD 15.
Arrangement
Legal status	Public Record(s)
Language	English
Physical description	16 series
Access conditions	Many records unfit for production
Administrative/ biographical background	The Court of Wards and Liveries was created in 1542 when the Court of Wards, which had control on wards and the administration of their land, was joined to the office of Surveyor of the King?s Liveries. It was mainly responsible for collecting feudal dues and practical and legal matters relating to the Crown?s right of wardship and livery. The Court was formally abolished in 1660.

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