Witham Friary Genealogical Records

Witham Friary Birth & Baptism Records

England & Wales Birth Index (1837-2006)

An index to births registered throughout England & Wales. Provides a reference to order copies of birth certificates from the national registrar of births, marriages and deaths – the General Register Office.

Early Somerset Baptism Transcripts (1597-1700)

Transcriptions of 255 parish baptism registers. They list children, their parents' names, residences, occupations and sometimes other details.

Wells Diocese Bishop's Transcripts (1594-1695)

Transcriptions of copies of parish registers that were compiled for the Bishop of Wells.

British Birth and Baptism Records (1400-2010)

A collection of indexes and transcripts of birth and baptism records that cover over 250 million people. Includes digital images of many records.

FreeBMD Births (1837-1957)

An index to births registered at the central authority for England & Wales. The index provides the area where the birth was registered, mother's maiden name from September 1911 and a reference to order a birth certificate.

Witham Friary Marriage & Divorce Records

England & Wales Marriage Index (1837-2008)

An index to marriages registered throughout England & Wales. This is the only national marriage index that allows you to search by both spouse's names. Provides a reference to order copies of marriage certificates from the national registrar of births, marriages and deaths – the General Register Office.

Witham Friary Marriage Registers (1621-1899)

Brief notes on marriages occurring in Witham Friary from 1621 to 1899.

Witham Friary Marriages (1736-1899)

Marriage records from people who married at the church between 1736 and 1899.

Witham Friary Marriages (1621-1752)

An index to marriages recorded by the church, listing the date of marriage and the names of the bride and groom.

Somerset Marriages Index (1650-1935)

An index of 369,186 Somerset marriages. Condition and residence may be included.

Witham Friary Death & Burial Records

England & Wales Death Index (1837-2006)

An index to deaths registered throughout England & Wales. Provides a reference to order copies of death certificates from the national registrar of births, marriages and deaths – the General Register Office.

Witham Friary Monumental Inscriptions (1676-1996)

Vital details extracted from tombstones and other monuments.

Blessed Virgin Mary, Witham Friary Burial Records (1668-1907)

Burial records covering those buried at Blessed Virgin Mary, Witham Friary_. This resource is an index and may not include all the details that were recorded in the burial registers from which they were extracted.

Early Somerset Burial Transcripts (1597-1700)

Transcriptions of around half the parish burial registers for Somerset. They list the name of the deceased, the date of their death and/or burial and sometimes other details, such as age and occupation.

Somerset Monumental Inscriptions (1582-2005)

An index to vital details engraved on over 25,000 monuments across the county of Somerset.

Witham Friary Census & Population Lists

1939 Register (1939)

An index to and digital images of records that detail 40 million civilians in England and Wales. Records list name, date of birth, address, marital status, occupation and details of trade or profession.

England, Wales, IoM & Channel Islands 1911 Census (1911)

The 1911 census provides details on an individual's age, residence, place of birth, relations and occupation. FindMyPast's index allows searches on for multiple metrics including occupation and residence.

Hearth Tax for Somerset (1664-1665)

A transcription of records naming those who had taxes levied against them for the privilege of owning a hearth.

Somerset Electoral Registers (1832-1914)

Digital images of books the list people eligible to vote in Somerset. Includes addresses and nature of that address.

Somerset Certificates of Muster (1569)

An early census of men able to serve in the militia.

Newspapers Covering Witham Friary

Wells Journal (1851-1867)

A record of births, marriages, deaths, legal, political, organisation and other news from the Wells area. Original pages of the newspaper can be viewed and located by a full text search.

Sherborne Mercury (1770-1867)

Fully text-searchable articles from a local newspaper covering the Sherborne district. It includes family announcements, obituaries, court proceedings, business notices and more.

Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette (1749-1949)

Original images of a local newspaper, searchable via a full text index. Includes news from the Bath area, business notices, obituaries, family announcements and more.

Western Morning News (1894-1950)

A politically independent newspaper, covering the affairs of Dorset, Devon, Cornwall and Somerset. It includes family notices.

Weekly Mail (1879-1910)

A weekly newspaper that circulated through Wales and parts of Somerset and Gloucestershire. It published general news, literature, commentary, family notices, adverts etc. Each edition has been indexed and digitised.

Witham Friary Wills & Probate Records

England & Wales National Probate Calendar (1858-1966)

Searchable index and original images of over 12.5 million probates and administrations granted by civil registries. Entries usually include the testator's name, date of death, date of probate and registry. Names of relations may be given.

Somerset Medieval Will Abstracts (1385-1558)

Summaries of 1,616 wills that may detail family relationships, land ownership and other details.

Prerogative Court of Canterbury Admon Index (1559-1660)

An index to estate administrations performed by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury. The index covers the southern two thirds of England & Wales, but may also contain entries for northerners.

Archdeaconry of Taunton Wills & Administrations (1537-1799)

A calendar to wills and admons granted by the Archdeaconry of Leicester. Contains year of the grant, name and residence.

Prerogative Court of Canterbury Probate Abstracts (1630-1654)

A searchable database of mid-17th Century probates performed by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury. Supplies details of testator and executor.

Witham Friary Immigration & Travel Records

Passenger Lists Leaving UK (1890-1960)

A name index connected to original images of passenger lists recording people travelling from Britain to destinations outside Europe. Records may detail a passenger's age or date of birth, residence, occupation, destination and more.

UK Incoming Passenger Lists (1878-1960)

A full index of passenger lists for vessels arriving in the UK linked to original images. Does not include lists from vessels sailing from European ports. Early entries can be brief, but later entries may include dates of births, occupations, home addresses and more. Useful for documenting immigration.

Victoria Assisted & Unassisted Passenger Lists (1839-1923)

An index to and images of documents recording over 1.65 million passengers who arrived in Victoria, Australia, including passengers whose voyage was paid for by others.

Alien Arrivals in England (1810-1869)

Details on over 600,000 non-British citizens arriving in England. Often includes age and professions. Useful for discerning the origin of immigrants.

17th Century British Emigrants to the U.S. (1600-1700)

Details on thousands of 17th century British immigrants to the U.S., detailing their origins and nature of their immigration.

Witham Friary Military Records

Memorial Book of Somerset (1914-1919)

An index to almost 11,000 men connected with Somerset who died during WWI.

Somerset Certificates of Muster (1569)

An early census of men able to serve in the militia.

2nd Somersetshire Regiment History (1801-1815)

A history of the regiment in the run-up to and during the Napoleonic Wars.

Somerset WWI Memorials (1914-1918)

A list of names found on World War One monuments in Somerset, with some service details.

Somerset WWII Memorials (1914-1918)

A list of names found on World War Two monuments in Somerset, with some service details.

Manuscripts of the Dean & Chapter of Wells (1100-1799)

A collection of charters, writs, letters, conveyances and other records from the Dean & Chapter of Wells.

Somerset Inquests (1790-1825)

Transcripts of a large number of records detailing investigations into deaths.

Act Books of the Archbishops of Canterbury (1663-1859)

An index to names and places mentioned in act books of the Province of Canterbury. It records various licences and conferments, such as marriage and physician licences.

Home Office Prison Calendars (1868-1929)

Records of over 300,000 prisoners held by quarter sessions in England & Wales. Records may contain age, occupation, criminal history, offence and trial proceedings.

Central Criminal Court After-trial Calendars (1855-1931)

Over 175,000 records detailing prisoner's alleged offences and the outcome of their trial. Contains genealogical information.

Witham Friary Taxation Records

Hearth Tax for Somerset (1664-1665)

A transcription of records naming those who had taxes levied against them for the privilege of owning a hearth.

Tithe Apportionments (1836-1856)

An index to 11,000,000 parcels of land and property, connected to digital images of registers that record their owner, occupier, description, agricultural use, size and rateable value.

Land Tax Redemption (1798-1811)

This vital collection details almost 1.2 million properties eligible for land tax. Records include the name of the landowner, occupier, amount assessed and sometimes the name and/or description of the property. It is a useful starting point for locating relevant estate records and establishing the succession of tenancies and freehold. Most records cover 1798, but some extend up to 1811.

Duties Paid for Apprentices' Indentures (1710-1811)

An index linked to original images of registers recording apprenticeship indentures. Details are given on the trade and nature of apprenticeship. Many records list the parents of the apprentice.

Red Book of the Exchequer (1066-1230)

A compilation of records from the Court of the Exchequer primarily dealing with taxes and land. These records are in Latin.

Witham Friary Land & Property Records

Manuscripts of the Dean & Chapter of Wells (1100-1799)

A collection of charters, writs, letters, conveyances and other records from the Dean & Chapter of Wells.

Tithe Apportionments (1836-1856)

An index to 11,000,000 parcels of land and property, connected to digital images of registers that record their owner, occupier, description, agricultural use, size and rateable value.

Land Tax Redemption (1798-1811)

This vital collection details almost 1.2 million properties eligible for land tax. Records include the name of the landowner, occupier, amount assessed and sometimes the name and/or description of the property. It is a useful starting point for locating relevant estate records and establishing the succession of tenancies and freehold. Most records cover 1798, but some extend up to 1811.

UK Poll Books and Electoral Rolls (1538-1893)

Poll books record the names of voters and the direction of their vote. Until 1872 only landholders could vote, so not everyone will be listed. Useful for discerning an ancestor's political leanings and landholdings. The collection is supplemented with other records relating to the vote.

Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem (1236-1291)

Abstracts of records detailing the estates and families of deceased tenants from the reigns of Henry III and Edward I.

Witham Friary Directories & Gazetteers

Kelly's Directory of Somerset (1939)

An exhaustive gazetteer, containing details of settlement's history, governance, churches, postal services, public institutions and more. Also contains lists of residents with their occupation and address.

Kelly's Directory of Somerset (1935)

A comprehensive place-by-place gazetteer, listing key contemporary and historical facts. Each place has a list of residents and businesses. Contains details on local schools, churches, government and other institutions.

Kelly's Directory of Somerset (1923)

A comprehensive place-by-place gazetteer, listing key contemporary and historical facts. Each place has a list of residents and businesses. Contains details on local schools, churches, government and other institutions.

Kelly's Directory of Somerset (1919)

A comprehensive place-by-place gazetteer, listing key contemporary and historical facts. Each place has a list of residents and businesses. Contains details on local schools, churches, government and other institutions.

Kelly's Directory of Somerset (1914)

A comprehensive place-by-place gazetteer, listing key historical and contemporary facts. Contains details on local schools, churches, government and other institutions. Also contains a list of residents and businesses for each place.

Witham Friary Cemeteries

Witham Friary Monumental Inscriptions (1676-1996)

Vital details extracted from tombstones and other monuments.

Somerset Monumental Inscriptions (1600-2000)

An index to vital details engraved on over 100,000 monuments across the county of Somerset.

Somerset Church Monuments (1300-1900)

Photographs and descriptions of Somerset's most illustrious church monuments, often featuring effigies, medieval inscriptions and heraldic devices.

Deceased Online (1629-Present)

Images of millions of pages from cemetery and crematoria registers, photographs of memorials, cemetery plans and more. Records can be search by a name index.

Billion Graves (1200-Present)

Photographs and transcriptions of millions of gravestones from cemeteries around the world.

Witham Friary Obituaries

iAnnounce Obituaries (2006-Present)

The UKs largest repository of obituaries, containing millions of searchable notices.

United Kingdom and Ireland Obituary Collection (1882-Present)

A growing collection currently containing over 425,000 abstracts of obituaries with reference to the location of the full obituary.

Quakers Annual Monitor (1847-1848)

A collection of 364 obituaries of Quakers from the British Isles. The volume was published in 1849 and includes obituaries of those who died in late 1847 through 1848.

Musgrave's Obituaries (1421-1800)

This transcribed and searchable work by Sir William Musgrave contains 10,000s of brief obituaries. The work is a reference point for other works containing information on an individual.

British Medical Journal (1849-Present)

A text index and digital images of all editions of a journal containing medical articles and obituaries of medical practitioners.

Witham Friary Histories & Books

Notes and Queries for Somerset and Dorset (1888-1906)

Selected issues of a periodical which contains many historical and genealogical tracts relating to the counties of Somerset and Dorset.

Catholic History in South West England (1517-1856)

A history of Catholicism in South West England with biographies of noted Catholics. Contains details of the Dominican, Benedictine, and Franciscan orders.

Victoria County History: Somerset (1086-1900)

A detailed history of the county's hundreds, parishes and religious houses.

Somerset Church Photographs (1890-Present)

Photographs and images of churches in Somerset.

Somerset Turnpikes (1707-Present)

A history of turnpikes and tollhouses in Somerset. Includes profiles of individual turnpikes.

Witham Friary School & Education Records

National School Admission & Log Books (1870-1914)

A name index connected to digital images of registers recording millions of children educated in schools operated by the National Society for Promoting Religious Education. Records contain a variety of information including genealogical details, education history, illnesses, exam result, fathers occupation and more.

Teacher's Registration Council Registers (1870-1948)

A name index linked to original images of registers recording the education and careers of teachers in England & Wales.

Oxford University Alumni (1500-1886)

A name index linked to original images of short biographies for over 120,000 Oxford University students. This is a particularly useful source for tracing the ancestry of the landed gentry.

Cambridge University Alumni (1261-1900)

A transcript of a vast scholarly work briefly chronicling the heritage, education and careers of over 150,000 Cambridge University students. This is a particularly useful source for tracing the ancestry of the landed gentry.

Cambridge Alumni Database (1198-1910)

A searchable database containing over 90,000 note-form biographies for students of Cambridge University.

Witham Friary Occupation & Business Records

Somerset Parish Apprentice Indentures (1575-1800)

Abstracts of apprenticeship indentures initiated by parishes in Somerset. These records provide details on parents' names and occupations.

Smuggling on the West Coast (1690-1867)

An introduction to smuggling on the west coast of Britain & the Isle of Man, with details of the act in various regions.

Somerset Pub Histories (1820-Present)

Histories of Somerset pubs, with photographs and lists of owners or operators.

South England Mines Index (1896)

Profiles of coal and metal mines in the south of England.

West Country Police in Glamorgan (1839-1901)

An index of Glamorgan police officers who came from the West Country.

Pedigrees & Family Trees Covering Witham Friary

The Visitation of the County of Somerset (1623)

Pedigrees of Somerset gentry families, including depictions of their arms. The book also contains some biographical information.

Victoria County History: Somerset (1086-1900)

A detailed history of the county's hundreds, parishes and religious houses.

British & Irish Royal & Noble Genealogies (491-1603)

Extensive and impeccably sourced genealogies for British, Irish & Manx royalty and nobility. Scroll down to 'British Isles' for relevant sections.

FamilySearch Community Trees (6000 BC-Present)

A searchable database of linked genealogies compiled from thousands of reputable and not-so-reputable sources. Contains many details on European gentry & nobility, but covers many countries outside Europe and people from all walks of life.

Debrett's Peerage (1923)

A searchable book, listing pedigrees of titled families and biographies of their members.

Witham Friary Royalty, Nobility & Heraldry Records

The Visitation of the County of Somerset (1623)

Pedigrees of Somerset gentry families, including depictions of their arms. The book also contains some biographical information.

Victoria County History: Somerset (1086-1900)

A detailed history of the county's hundreds, parishes and religious houses.

Somerset Church Monuments (1300-1900)

Photographs and descriptions of Somerset's most illustrious church monuments, often featuring effigies, medieval inscriptions and heraldic devices.

British & Irish Royal & Noble Genealogies (491-1603)

Extensive and impeccably sourced genealogies for British, Irish & Manx royalty and nobility. Scroll down to 'British Isles' for relevant sections.

FamilySearch Community Trees (6000 BC-Present)

A searchable database of linked genealogies compiled from thousands of reputable and not-so-reputable sources. Contains many details on European gentry & nobility, but covers many countries outside Europe and people from all walks of life.

Witham Friary Church Records

Manuscripts of the Dean & Chapter of Wells (1100-1799)

A collection of charters, writs, letters, conveyances and other records from the Dean & Chapter of Wells.

Somerset Parish Apprentice Indentures (1575-1800)

Abstracts of apprenticeship indentures initiated by parishes in Somerset. These records provide details on parents' names and occupations.

Catholic History in South West England (1517-1856)

A history of Catholicism in South West England with biographies of noted Catholics. Contains details of the Dominican, Benedictine, and Franciscan orders.

Somerset Parish Register Transcripts (1538-1956)

Transcriptions of registers that record baptisms, which typically occur shortly after birth; marriages and burials. They can help establish links between individuals back to the 16th century.

Somerset Monumental Inscriptions (1582-2005)

An index to vital details engraved on over 25,000 monuments across the county of Somerset.

Biographical Directories Covering Witham Friary

Somerset Worthies, Unworthies & Villains (1500-1900)

Brief biographies of thousands of notable Somerset men.

Debrett's Peerage (1923)

A searchable book, listing pedigrees of titled families and biographies of their members.

Dod's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage of Britian (1902)

A book containing genealogies and biographies of Britain's titled families.

Dod's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage of Britian (1885)

A book containing genealogies and biographies of Britain's titled families.

Crockford's Clerical Directories (1868-1914)

Brief biographies of Anglican clergy in the UK.

Witham Friary Maps

Maps of Somerset (1607-1902)

Digital images of maps covering the county.

UK Popular Edition Maps (1919-1926)

Detailed maps covering much of the UK. They depict forests, mountains, larger farms, roads, railroads, towns, and more.

Ordnance Survey 1:10 Maps (1840-1890)

Maps showing settlements, features and some buildings in mainland Britain.

Tithe Apportionments (1836-1856)

An index to 11,000,000 parcels of land and property, connected to digital images of registers that record their owner, occupier, description, agricultural use, size and rateable value.

Parish Maps of Britain (1832)

Maps of parishes in England, Scotland and Wales. They are useful in determining which parish records may be relevant to your research.

Witham Friary Reference Works

England Research Guide (1538-Present)

A beginner’s guide to researching ancestry in England.

Parish Register Abstract (1538-1812)

Compiled in 1831, this book details the coverage and condition of parish registers in England & Wales.

Building History Research Guide (1066-Present)

A comprehensive guide to researching the history of buildings in the British Isles.

Surname Origins (1790-1911)

A service that provides advanced and custom surname maps for the British Isles and the US.

British Family Mottoes (1189-Present)

A dictionary of around 9,000 mottoes for British families who had right to bear arms.

Historical Description

WITHAM FRIARY is a village and parish, with a station on the Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth section of the Great Western railway, and is the point of junction of the line for Shepton Mallet and Wells; it is 9 miles east from Shepton Mallet, 14 south-east from Wells, 6 south from Frome and 106 ½ from London by rail, in the Frome division of the county, Eastern division of the hundred of Frome, Frome petty sessional division, union and county court district, rural deanery of Frome, archdeaconry of Wells and diocese of Bath and Wells: the inhabitants are well supplied with spring water, which flows from the neighbouring hills. The church of St. Mary the Virgin was anciently that of the Carthusian Priory, and did not become a parish church till 1458: it is an edifice of rubble and stone in the Transition, Norman and Early English styles, consisting of nave of three bays, with an eastern apse, and a lofty massive bell gable containing 3 bells: all the windows are stained, and on the south side of the apse is a double piscina with square trefoiled head, and on the north side, in the thickness of the wall, the rood loft staircase remains; near it is a doorway (now built up) with a very low segmental arch, and probably leading originally to the domestic buildings of the monastery: the original font, placed in the church in 1458 by Prior John Porter, and found buried in the foundations of the old tower, has been reinstated: this church, erected by the Carthusians on their first coming here, was much altered and improved by St. Hugh, the 3rd prior, who vaulted the roof, and thickened the walls in order to support the vaulting, which is quadripartite, the ribs intersecting at the apex and springing from semi-octagonal corbels carried on shafts: the windows, round-headed, and splayed deeply on both sides, are original, though altered both in proportions and detail: the church was restored in 1876—7 under the direction of Mr. William White F.S.A, architect, at a cost of £3,600, when the building was lengthened by an additional bay at the west end, the tower, erected in 1828, being removed and a new bell gable substituted; the timber work of the roof was also renewed and the walls repointed and strengthened with flying buttresses: there are sittings for 200 persons, The register of burials dates from the year 1684, and of baptisms and marriages from 1695. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £100, with residence, in the gift of the Duke of Somerset, and held since 1898 by the Rev. Edward Becher Prince M.A. of Magdalen College, Oxford. Here was once a priory of the Carthusian order, founded in 1181 by King Henry II. and dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, St. John Baptist and All Saints: the revenues, on its dissolution, were estimated at £215; some portions of the domestic buildings remain. The Duke of Somerset, who is lord of the manor, and A. F. E. Powell esq. are the chief landowners. The soil and subsoil are clay and stone brash. The land is used solely for dairy farms.

Cheese making is carried on a good deal. The acreage is 5,433; rateable value, £5,509; the population in 1901 was 395.

National School (mixed), built in 1840 & enlarged in 1885, for 115 children; average attendance, 51.

Kelly's Directory of Somerset (1902)

Most Common Surnames in Witham Friary

RankSurnameIncidenceFrequencyPercent of ParentRank in Frome Hundred
1Hallett331:155.51%118
2Edwards271:181.82%21
3Ashford251:199.16%327
4May241:205.65%191
5Hughes171:295.14%265
6Stride131:379.63%680
7Doman121:4023.08%1,540
8White111:440.38%3
8Hoddinott111:448.66%716
10Stickland101:498.13%744
10Croom101:4927.03%2,008
12Willis91:541.81%161
12Tanner91:542.39%224
12Wilmot91:548.04%810
12Willmott91:546.29%638
16Clark81:610.49%16
16Clarke81:610.76%52
16Powell81:612.12%222
16Carpenter81:611.48%134
16McEy81:614.65%524
16Ley81:6125.00%2,217
16Denning81:612.94%329
23Coombes71:692.16%274
23Maidment71:693.38%444
23Crees71:694.58%594
26Drew61:812.47%371
26Kenny61:8166.67%4,797
26Farthing61:812.73%415
26Dex61:81100.00%6,245
30Young51:970.37%27
30Holloway51:973.05%555
30Millard51:970.69%86
30Way51:972.43%446
30Burney51:9762.50%5,187
30Fitz51:9735.71%3,674
30Hues51:9741.67%4,036
30Sticklen51:9771.43%5,654
38Smith41:1210.09%1
38Hill41:1210.16%6
38Ball41:1210.59%102
38Parsons41:1210.19%11
38Prince41:1212.50%570
38Dyke41:1211.42%313
38Pittman41:12110.26%1,932
38Westover41:12166.67%6,245
38Guntrip41:12130.77%3,842
38Seven41:121100.00%7,808
48Ward31:1620.78%217
48Pike31:1620.43%99
48Carey31:1620.79%221
48Hillier31:1620.75%205
48Singer31:1621.76%529
48Witcomb31:1623.53%1,064
54Robertson21:2433.57%1,465
54Collins21:2430.21%59
54Read21:2430.39%153
54Sims21:2430.44%172
54Tarrant21:2434.26%1,681
54Ames21:2431.87%848
54Bown21:2430.76%337
54Brine21:2431.01%461
54Star21:2433.08%1,315
54Gwatkin21:24366.67%8,898
64Jones11:4850.04%10
64Taylor11:4850.04%7
64King11:4850.07%25
64Mitchell11:4850.11%63
64Cox11:4850.04%8
64Day11:4850.09%37
64Reed11:4850.14%88
64Watkins11:4850.44%400
64Tucker11:4850.05%13
64Hooper11:4850.09%40
64Howe11:4850.20%150
64Grey11:4850.68%621
64Thorne11:4850.11%67
64Darby11:4851.20%1,086
64Farr11:4850.98%895
64Jeffries11:4851.28%1,151
64Parrott11:4851.27%1,142
64Compton11:4850.87%792
64Craddock11:4853.85%2,545
64Abrahams11:4851.11%1,008
64Burge11:4850.13%80
64Burnell11:4850.32%287
64Dew11:4851.72%1,434
64Allard11:4852.33%1,805
64Liddiard11:4857.14%3,674
64Trollope11:4851.92%1,540
64Combs11:4854.55%2,826
64Helps11:4850.78%711
64Fooks11:4851.69%1,416
64Corp11:4850.60%537
64Urch11:4850.75%690
64Stickler11:4851.67%1,396
64Plenty11:4851.72%1,434
64Geddings11:485100.00%12,126
64Mary11:485100.00%12,126
64Witherby11:485100.00%12,126
64Polwar11:485100.00%12,126