Is this year 1603 or 1604?

[Davedrave]

(This isn’t strictly a transcription question but I thought I’d post it here because an expert in older documents might be most knowledgeable).

I’m looking at an original parish register image, 1603 followed by 1604, baptisms, marriages and burials listed separately.

In 1603 Marriages run October, November, May, July.
Burials run October, November, January, February, March, June.

In 1604 the Baptisms run xxvi March to February in month order.

At this period in the register it looks as though the pages were written out at the same time (copied?) because the handwriting and layout look pretty uniform. Maybe the months that appear to be in the wrong order in 1603 were missed out initially and the writer did not want to spoil his work with crossings out?
My chief question is: does 1603 therefore here mean the historical year 1604?

Thanks,

Dave

[youngtug]

Before the Gregorian calendar was used in 1752 Lady Day was New Year's Day. From 1155 until 1752  it would have been the 25th of March

[Vance Mead]

It was usually the case that the new year began in March, but not always. The parish records for Watford, Herts, began in 1539. In the first couple of years the new year began at Michaelmas. Then there was a long year from Michaelmas until the following March and then the new year began at Lady Day.

[Davedrave]

Thanks.
The parish register here is pretty confusing. On the 1560 and 1561 page it looks as if the year begins in January and runs until December, though the first baptism of 1561 appears to be on 20th March.

Dave

[Scholar Gypsy]

Did this unusually year exist beyond the local parish record-keeping level?