Alternatives to Parish Records- 16th Century?

[RJMortimer]

Good afternoon,

I have reached an apparent dead-end with my family research due to water-damaged records in Nuneaton.

The earliest record I have is the burial of my great x 8 grandfather William Mortimer, in 1672, recorded in the St Nicolas register.

A fellow family researcher told me William Mortimer married Mary Townsend in 1627 and they had a son William in 1628, however I have been unable to find these records in the register due to illegibility.

I have proof of my ancestors living in Nuneaton throughout the mid to late 1600s due to Hearth Tax records, the parish register and Wills. Getting further back than William, however, is proving very difficult.

Does anyone have any suggestions of sources I could check? I don't really know where to start. I live in London so have access to the British Library and National Archives if that helps. I would be happy to travel to Warwickshir, and happy sifting through any sorts of rolls / records/ registers etc, even just to prove the absence or presence of Mortimers in Nuneaton in the 1500s.

Any help is much appreciated.
Ryan

[Watson]

Ryan,

Are you sure there aren't Bishop's Transcripts as well as the registers?

You could consider the Protestation returns of 1641/2, which may be a little earlier than you said.

Were they farming people?  If so, find what manor(s) they belonged to and see what records have survived.  If not, what occupation?

Subsidy rolls and other taxation records could be another possibility.

[RJMortimer]

Thanks Watson.

As far as I know there are no Bishop's transcripts.

I haven't heard of the Protestation returns; I'll look into that.

William Mortimer (who I believe lived 1628-1699) was a labourer. I have no record of the occupations of his siblings or father William.

I have seen something about a 'Constable Rental Survey' of 1543-1546 in Nuneaton mentioned in local family history websites, but can find no record of these or clues as to how I can view them...

[goldie61]

Google "Constable Rental Survey" Nuneaton. Lots of hits. (You need the speech markes in your search).
This was the first one
http://www.hunimex.com/warwick/nuneaton/

Several references to your Mortimer family (and alternative spellings) in various archival records, but not it seems back into the 1500s in the archives they have listed, (but mentioned in the Domesday Book).


There's a nice time line about Nuneaton here gives you interesting background information
https://m.facebook.com/groups/nuneatonhistory/permalink/1998325733752597/

According to familysearch.org, the surviving Protestations Returns for Warwickshire are 'slight', and 'none' have been published.
https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Oaths_of_Loyalty_to_the_Church_of_England

Added:
so it looks as though familysearch need to update their information pages.
If you go to 'catalog' in the menu bar, and under 'Title' put in 'Protestation returns'. many films come up. The one for Warwickshire is film no 007907153 - 'item 2' on the film,  which seems to start about frame 145.
You would need to plough through each frame to see if there are any for Nuneaton, as there is no index.
Good luck!

[Watson]

Regarding Nuneaton Manor, it appears there are many surviving records.  See Discovery here:

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/c/F244015

[RJMortimer]

Thank you both.
What kind of info might I find in Nuneaton Manor 'surveys', 'rentals', 'court rolls' etc. Would this be specific to a manor house, or the area of Nuneaton would you imagine?

I would happily spend a day going through these in the British Library if it's potentially a worthwhile exercise.

[Watson]

In the court rolls and rentals, you should find mentions of many ordinary people who belonged to the manor.  There's no guarantee that your Mortimers will be mentioned, but, from what you have said, I would see it as one of the best, if not the best, of the avenues open to you in the Nuneaton pre-parish register era.