Durham Diocesan Records: faculties and related records

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Introduction

	Faculty jurisdiction and procedures
	Contents
	Arrangement and numbering
	Related material among the diocesan records
	Related material held elsewhere

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Catalogue

• Faculties 1697-1865
• Faculties 1866-1899
• Faculties 1900-1924
• Faculties 1925-1949
• Faculties 1950-1959
• Faculties 1960-1969
• Faculties 1970-1979
• Faculties 1980-1989
• Faculties 1990-1999
• Faculties 2000-2009
• Faculties 2010-

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Faculty jurisdiction and procedures

See detailed notes on legislation and procedures, within the Administrative Histories for the Durham Diocesan Records. A general bibliography is also within the same guide.

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Contents

Papers relating to applications for faculties and archdeacons' certificates (later, authorisations under 'schedule B').
Following the division of Durham diocese on the creation of Newcastle diocese in 1882, various classes of pre-1882 records, including the faculty papers, were divided into two geographical series, reflecting the areas covered by the new diocesan boundaries. The faculty papers now held among the Durham Diocesan Records refer only to parishes in the historic County Durham, or parishes that formed part of the Bishop's peculiar of Allertonshire within Yorkshire (until 1846), although copies of some pre-1882 Northumberland and Newcastle upon Tyne faculties will be found in the faculty registers. Pre-1882 faculty papers for Northumberland and Newcastle upon Tyne parishes are now held among the Newcastle Diocesan Records deposited in Northumberland Record Office.
The papers that normally survive for a particular faculty application are as follows :

	Petition for faculty	Addressed by the applicants (often the incumbent and churchwardens of the parish) to the bishop or his chancellor. The petition should summarise the works to be carried out. Note that early petitions are usually undated.
	Supporting documents	Such as plans, architects' reports or specifications, photographs, samples, suppliers' catalogues and insurers' agreements
	Correspondence	Between the applicants, registrar, Diocesan Advisory Committee, chancellor and others
	Citation	Public notice, inviting objections
	Faculty draft	The original faculty is not held among the Durham Diocesan Records, but should survive among the individual parish records (at Durham County Record Office or Northumberland Archives). Copies of many faculties will be found in the faculty registers 1767-1919 (DDR/EJ/FAC/1).

Note that papers for applications for faculties that are not proceeded with, or that are refused or contested, are generally held in other classes (see Related Material, below), not in the main sequence of faculty papers.

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Accession information

The first deposit of faculty papers with Durham University Library (formerly the Department of Palaeography and Diplomatic) was made by the Durham diocesan registrar in 1969, followed by the main deposit in 1975 for papers up to 1974. Regular deposits have been made since, and the series continues to grow.

Gaining access to recent faculty papers

Faculty and archdeacons' certificate papers are closed for 30 years, except in the case of Diocesan Registry staff or those granted access by the Durham Diocesan Registrar or her/his representative.

Arrangement and numbering

Most of the faculty papers and archdeacons' certificates were arranged and numbered in a single chronological sequence for both types of document in the Diocesan Registry, before they were transferred to Durham University Library. The registry staff also listed these papers as they were numbered. This work appears to have started in the late 19th century. The numbers allotted by the Diocesan Registry have been retained and are used as the main item numbers for the faculty papers and archdeacons' certificates.
The earliest documents were omitted from the registry system : as they have been identified and dated they have been numbered by library staff. They are now numbered using sub-numbers of number 1, from 1/1 to 1/17 (the main numbered sequence begins at number 8). Note that, at certain periods, the registry staff did not always arrange or number the papers in strict chronological order. In addition, there are gaps in the numerical sequence (due to misnumbering rather than loss of the documents), and numbers 1100-1999 were not used.
The 'omnibus' faculties (see explanation within Administrative Histories guide) were given a single number within the sequence. The individual applications (for separate churches) were sub-numbered within the main number.
Some of the items are kept in a separate 'outsize' sequence, while others are kept flat in separate boxes but within the main sequence. These outsize and flattened items are noted in the detailed catalogue.

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Registry lists

This online catalogue was derived from manuscript list compiled by Diocesan Registry for pre-1993 faculties, from a Registry in-house database for faculties dated 1993-2004, and from Registry spreadsheets for faculties 2005-2009.
An index to pre-1882 Northumberland faculties derived from the faculty registers at DDR/EJ/FAC/1 is held in the Palace Green library search room.

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Related material among the diocesan records

Papers relating to confirmations of pews or sittings are held among consistory court cause papers at DDR/EJ/CCD/3 and DDR/EJ/PRC/2.
Records of withdrawn and contested faculties are (partially) listed at DDR/EJ/FAC/4 and DDR/EJ/FAC/6

Related material held elsewhere

Pre-1882 faculty papers for Northumberland and Newcastle upon Tyne parishes formerly in the diocese of Durham, and post-1882 faculty papers for the diocese of Newcastle, are held by Northumberland Archives.

Catalogue

Faculties 1697-1865 Not arranged in date order, but predominantly alphabetical by place

Faculties 1866-1899
Faculties 1900-1924
Faculties 1925-1949
Faculties 1950-1959
Faculties 1960-1969