marriage licences in Sussex

[kerryb]

Hi Sussex rootschatters

If I find a marriage on the Sussex Marriage Index with the word (lic) but no corresponding entry where can I find a copy of the marriage licence?

I am sure I should know this but I feel dense this afternoon, probably too much chocolate 

Kerry

[behindthefrogs]

You are very unlikely to find a copy of the licence because they were very rarely preserved.  You may find a copy of the allegation which supported the issue of the licence probably in Sussex Record Office or the appropriate record office for the archdeaconry which issued the licence.  You should be able to work that out from the parish and the year that it was issued.

David

[kerryb]

Thank you David

I will try East Sussex RO and see what I can find.  I think that most of the ones I have seen for East Sussex come under the Archdeaconary of Lewes but will check that.

Kerry

[Stovepipe]

Kerry,

Don't forget the Internet Archive has three books of Sussex marriage licences for download.

1) Calendar of Sussex marriage licences recorded in the Consistory Court of the Bishop of Chichester for the Archdeaconry of Lewes, August, 1586, to March, 1642-3

2) Calendar of Sussex marriage licences recorded in the Peculiar courts of the Dean of Chichester and of the Archbishop of Canterbury. Deanery of Chichester, January, 1582-3, to December, 1730. Deaneries of Pagham and Tarring, January, 1579-80, to November, 1730

3) Calendar of Sussex marriage licences recorded in the Consistory Court of the Bishop of Chichester for the Archdeaconry of Lewes, August, 1670, to March, 1728-9, and in the Peculiar Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury for the deanery of South Malling, May, 1620, to December, 1732

They're all transcripts by Edwin H.W. Dunkin published by the SRS.  Have to confess that all should be in the SMI so they don't really satisfy your request - in fact these volumes often provide the source for the SMI licence info (when you see SRS in the extra information field).

I think that most of the ones I have seen for East Sussex come under the Archdeaconary of Lewes but will check that.

Dunkin says the whole of East Sussex was covered by the Court of the Archdeaconry of Lewes except for eleven parishes in the Deanery of South Malling, peculiars of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Battle, a peculiar of the Dean of Battle.

HTH,
Stovepipe

[kerryb]

Thanks for that Stovepipe, it is so informative I am going to print the page out so I don't forget.

Kerry