Weybread Parish Registers

[dejay]

Can anyone clarify why there are (apparently) no registers for Weybread before 1687?

I have seen on the GENUKI site that the "church was founded in 1687" and notice that this is the earliest date for the registers of Weybread on the familysearch site, and also in the parish list of the Suffolk Record Office.

There must have been a church there before this! I have relations who were definitely living there in the 1670s ..... as they appear on the Hearth Tax Returns.

Cheers

[Suffolk Mawther]

It is possible the PRs could have perished in a fire. Might be worth contacting the Suffolk Record Office?

Simon has the church on his Suffolk website, www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/weybread.htm

SM

[dejay]

Thanks for the response.

Problem is that Simon is reviewing "new" church (St Andrews) - if 1687 can in any way be called new!

Have just found references to "parish church of St Mary The Virgin" in old Weybread wills (1500s - 1600s), so expect that this was the original church which was "replaced" by St Andrews. Was wondering why .... presumed that someone would have come across this before. Suppose that PRs were "lost" or destroyed?

Yes, will contact RO anyway I guess.

thanks

[Suffolk Mawther]

Dedications rarely changed, so perhaps the Saint Mary the Virgin parish church is in fact a nearby parish? I have checked White's which only refers to St Andrew, they usually note if a church has been replaced due to fire etc.

According to TNA PRs are available from 1602, again they refer back to the SRO so I would think that would be worth following up.

Unfortunately there is no Local History Recorder in that parish 

SM

[dejay]

St Andrews is Grade II listed, and is referred to on the British Listed Buildings website as "medieval", so a church has been there for some time! If SM the V is a different parish ... I'm struggling to see where it might be!!

The 1687 date I am using was taken from the Suffolk RO site (PR info) and corresponds with the transcript of registers - copied from suffolk RO - that I have previously ordered through local Family History Centre.

Hmmm .... will contact RO anyway I guess and see what they say.

cheers

[The Yokel]

There is Pulham St Mary the Virgin about 4 miles away in Norfolk

yokel

[Suffolk Mawther]

I was surprised by the different date given by the NA, they seem to have quite a few records listed for the parish of Weybread, which are of course at the SRO.
Good luck with your searches.

SM

[avm228]

Simon has the church on his Suffolk website, www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/weybread.htm

This shows a "probably Norman" tower at St Andrew's, so it obviously long predates 1687.

[dejay]

Thanks all for responses.

I have contacted SRO today. They confirm that 1687 date for PRs is correct, but were unable to give me any guidance on earlier information. Only suggestion appeared to be paid research on manorial rolls.
Was rather hoping someone else may have had to research here previously and would have some idea for earlier records.

Understand that church is obviously much earlier (medieval?) but still confused by references in 15thc wills to burial "in churchyard of St Mary the Virgin Weybread".

cheers