Records of the parish of Saint Botolph Aldgate date from the mid 16th century, but the archive also includes muniments of title from 1279. There are churchwardens accounts from 1547, vestry minutes from 1583, and poor rate assessments, tithe rate assessments and paving rate assessments from 1738. Parish registers include baptisms, marriages, banns, burials, preachers and church services. There are also papers relating to poor relief including the workhouse.
The series of rate books listed here are for the East Smithfield and/or City parts of the parish. East Smithfield was divided for rate collection purposes into Upper and Lower Precincts (UP & LP) and the extents of these precincts are given in the catalogue entries. The Upper Precinct included some of the Tower of London liberty until 1829 when separate rate books survive for the liberty (denoted as TL). St Katharine's Precinct appears not to have been included in any rate assessments for East Smithfield, apart from the paving rate books (Ms 2537) which include a small section of the Precinct. The City part of the parish is divided into five precincts, Houndsditch (H), High Street (HS), Tower Hill (TH), Barrs (B) and Covent Garden (CG). The extents of these precincts is given in the catalogue entries. The parish of Holy Trinity Minories does not appear in rate assessments for either the City or East Smithfield parts before its union with St Botolph.
Parish of St Botolph Aldgate, City of London , Church of England