Visitation of Somerset

[Susan41]

Hi,

A few days ago I found a google digitized book, Visitation of Somerset, which contains a large number of pedigrees.  I am not familiar with these books, are the pedigrees reliable?

I found that my ancestor, Mrs. Maude (Mauncell) Jubbes, d. 1535,  is listed in one of these pedigrees. I have been able to trace back to this lady by use of a number of wills, some of which I have transcribed and posted on my personal website, and the records available on A2A.

Could some one give me a brief background on visitation books?

Thank you,
Susan

[stanmapstone]

From 1529/30 the College of Arms made visitations to various parts of the country to establish if coats-of-arms were being used correctly, and also to investigate new applications. The last visitation was in 1686. The Harleian Society have printed many of the visitation records. http://harleian.co.uk/

Stan

[stanmapstone]

The visitations were made by the Kings of Arms to examine claims to coats-of-arms, in doing so they took consideration of personal knowledge, family muniments, family traditions and the records of previous visitations, and either disallowed or confirmed the claim. This process gave rise to a large number of written family trees of varying reliability 

Stan

[Susan41]

Thank you Stan,

This is helpful information.

Susan