Nature of Source
Overview of General Eyre Courts
The General Eyre was a travelling or itinerant court of criminal law that operated in medieval England, hearing common law cases throughout the provinces. The courts assembled every few years to dispense criminal justice outside of London where criminal law was centralised. In the provinces, where only manorial courts dispensed justice and typically dealt with minor or petty cases, the General Eyre provided a higher court for more serious criminal matters.
Surviving Records
Most surviving General Eyre records fall into two categories:
- Plea Rolls: The rolls contain detailed information about individuals involved in legal disputes and may include names, places of residence and details about the crimes or disputes.
- Accounts: These contain financial records that track payments and fines.
Of these, plea rolls generally offer the better source of genealogical information.
Challenges in Using General Eyre Records
Language
General Eyre records were written in Latin making them difficult, if not nearly impossible, to interpret without specialised knowledge. In addition, handwriting styles from this period and the abbreviations add to the challenge of using the records.
Names
Surnames, especially among the poor, were not hereditary until the 14th century. This lack of fixed names make identifying an ancestor a difficult challenge. In earlier records a person may be listed only by their given name or by a surname derived from their place of origin.
Fines and Amercements
The court had the authority to levy fines, also known as amercements, on individuals, boroughs and the larger administrative areas called hundreds. These fines related to various offenses and are frequently mentioned in the records. Importantly, they frequently identify individuals.
General Eyre courts operated primarily from the late 12th century until the mid-14th century. They were gradually replaced by Courts of Assize in the 14th century whose courts assumed the role of administering criminal justice in the provinces.
Also see
Assize Records
Court of Chancery
Court of Common Pleas
Court of Exchequer
Court of King’s/Queen’s Bench – Curia Regis
Court of Wards & Liveries
Petty Sessions
Quarter Session Records
Where Found
Period Covered
1194 – 1348
Genealogical Value
- Name, address and occupation of defendant and plaintiff.
- Family relationships may be cited.
Further References
- Bard, Robert. Tyburn: The Story of London’s Gallows: Amberley Publishing, 2012
- Bard, Robert. Death in London: Places of Execution, Then and Now: Historical Publications, 2007
- Bevan, Amanda. Tracing Your Ancestors in the National Archives: The National Archives, 2006
- Brandon, David & Brooke. Alan. London West End 1800-1850 Murders And Misdemeanours: Amberley Publishing, 2009
- Brandon, David & Brooke. Alan. Olde London Punishments: The History Press (30 April 2010
- Cale, Michelle. Law and Society : an introduction to sources for criminal and legal history from 1800: PRO Publications, 1996
- Campbell, Charles. The Intolerable Hulks: British Shipboard Confinement 1776-1857 Fenestra Books, 2001
- Crook, David. Records of the General Eyre: Public Record Office, 1982
- Decharne, Max. Capital Crimes : Seven Centuries of London Life and Murder: Arrow Books, 2013
- Eatwell, Alison. Crime, Clemency and Consequence in Britain 1821-1839: A Slice of Criminal Life: Pen & Sword History, 2017
- Emsley, Clive. Crime and Society in England: 1750-1900: Routledge, 2010
- Emsley, Clive. Crime and Society in Twentieth Century England: Routledge, 2011
- Gilfillan, Ross. Crime and Punishment in Victorian London: A Street-Level View of the City’s Underworld: Pen & Sword Books, 2014
- Gray, Adrian. Crime and Criminals of Victorian England: The History Press, 2011
- Hall, Malcolm. Gloucestershire Murders and Misdemeanours 1820-1829: Amberley Publishing, 2008
- Hawkings, David. Criminal Ancestors: A Guide to Historical Criminal Records in England & Wales: The History Press, 2009
- Hawkings, David. Bound for Australia: A Guide to the Records of Transported Convicts and Early Settlers: The History Press, 2012
- Herber, Mark. Criminal London: A Pictorial History from Medieval Times to 1939: Phillimore & Co, 2002
- Higgs, Michelle. Prison Life in Victorian England: The History Press, 2007
- Hitchcock, Tim & Shoemaker, Bob. Tales from the Hanging Court: Hodder Arnold, 2006
- Howse, Geoffrey. A History of London’s Prisons: Wharncliffe True Crime, 2012
- Jack, Elizabeth. A Victorian Prisoners of Gloucester Gaol: A Rogues’ Gallery: The History Press, 2009
- Jeaffreson, John Cordy (ed). Middlesex County Records. 4 Vols: Greater London Council, 1972 (1886) (Volumes available to download and view at the Internet Archive or at British History Online)
- Knapp, Andrew & Baldwin, William. The Newgate Calendar: London, 1828 (Available from: Google Books)
- Marson, Edward. Prison: Five Hundred Years of Life Behind Bars: The National Archives, 2009
- May, Trevor. Victorian and Edwardian Prisons: Shire, 2008
- Noble, Malcolm. A Practical Introduction to Medieval Genealogy: Bookcabin, 2026
- Oates, Dr Jonathan. Tracing Villains and Their Victims: A Guide for Family Historians: Pen and Sword Books, 2017
- Paley, Ruth & Fowler, Simon. Family Skeletons: Exploring The Lives of our Disreputable Ancestors: The National Archives, 2005
- Reake, Janet. How to Trace Your Convict Ancestors: Their Lives, Times and Records: Hale & Iremonger, 1999
- Stevens, Mark. Broadmoor Revealed: Victorian Crime and the Lunatic Asylum: Pen and Sword Books, 2013
- Storey, Neil. The Victorian Criminal: Shire Publications, 2011
- Wade, Stephen. Tracing Your Criminal Ancestors: A Guide for Family Historians: Pen & Sword Books, 2009
- Wade, Stephen. Tyranny and the Lash : Prisoners & Punishment in British History: Robert Hale Publishers, 2011
- Watson, Katherine. Poisoned Lives: English Poisoners and their Victims: Hambledon Continuum, 2006
- Woolf, Alex. Past In Pictures : A Photographic View of Crime and Punishment: Wayland Publishers, 2013
Websites
The National Archives Research Guide
Courts of law records from the medieval period: general eyres 1194-1348. This guide will help you find records at The National Archives of medieval lawsuits and legal cases heard before travelling (‘itinerant’) courts, known as general eyres.
Selden Society
The Selden Society is the only learned society and publisher devoted entirely to English legal history. This includes the history of the law, the development of legal ideas, the legal profession, the courts and legal institutions, individual judges and lawyers, legal literature and records.
The Pipe Roll Society
Founded in 1883, the Society publishes editions of the pipe rolls of the Exchequer and of related medieval documents. The Society focuses on making these records accessible to scholars, students and the general public.
The History of Law Blog
The General Eyre and the Court at Westminster, by Tessa Shepperson.
Luminarium Encyclopedia
Justices in Eyre.
Online Databases
British History Online
The site consists of a digital library of British historical sources developed by Institute of Historical Research and the History of Parliament Trust. The site is free to use with a search facility linking users to full transcripts of various sources.
Anglo-American Legal Tradition
Explore digital images of documents from Medieval and Early Modern England from The National Archives, 1200 to 1650. Series covered include:
- Series CP 40 (Court of common pleas plea rolls)
- Series KB 27 (Court of king’s bench plea rolls)
- Series E 159 and E 368 (Memoranda rolls)
- Series E 13 (Exchequer plea rolls)
- Series C 33 (Chancery orders and decrees)
- Series JUST 1 (Records of the General Eyre and commissions of assize)
- Series CP 25 (Feet of Fines)
University of Sheffield
Lands of the Normans in England, 1204-1244. The digital research project examines the 13th-century Anglo-French aristocracy between 1204 and 1244. It provides an interactive database of nearly 3,000 individuals and places, using historical records to map the redistribution of estates following the French annexation of Normandy. The project built the database using 2,000 individual documents collected from over 100 historical sources such as Charter Rolls, Patent Rolls, Feet of Fines, Cartularies, Chronicles and other primary sources.
CD Roms
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