Collection GB 0074 CLC/519 - WORSLEY, William ([1435]-1499)

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0074 CLC/519

Title

WORSLEY, William ([1435]-1499)

Date(s)

  • 1479?-1498 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

13 production units.

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

William Worsley was born circa 1435 in Eccles, Lancashire. He enjoyed the patronage of William Booth, bishop of Lichfield and later archbishop of York. Through him he was educated at Winchester College in 1442, going on to Oxford and Cambridge where he studied canon and civil law. He was ordained priest in 1460. In 1468 he was granted a doctorate in civil law, and was granted dispensation to hold canonries and prebends in London, Nottinghamshire and York.

In 1476 Worsley became archdeacon of Nottingham. In January 1479 he was elected dean of Saint Paul's Cathedral by the chapter in London. He was considered a good preacher. In 1494 he was arrested on charges of correspondence with the Yorkist pretender Perkin Warbeck. He was found guilty of high treason, but was saved from execution and paid a heavy fine to be pardoned. He died in August 1499 and was buried in Saint Paul's Cathedral.

Michael J. Bennett, 'Worsley, William (c 1435-1499)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/29987, accessed 17 June 2011].

Archival history

GB 0074 CLC/519 1479?-1498 Collection 13 production units. Worsley , William , [1435]-1499 , dean of St Paul's Cathedral

William Worsley was born circa 1435 in Eccles, Lancashire. He enjoyed the patronage of William Booth, bishop of Lichfield and later archbishop of York. Through him he was educated at Winchester College in 1442, going on to Oxford and Cambridge where he studied canon and civil law. He was ordained priest in 1460. In 1468 he was granted a doctorate in civil law, and was granted dispensation to hold canonries and prebends in London, Nottinghamshire and York.

In 1476 Worsley became archdeacon of Nottingham. In January 1479 he was elected dean of Saint Paul's Cathedral by the chapter in London. He was considered a good preacher. In 1494 he was arrested on charges of correspondence with the Yorkist pretender Perkin Warbeck. He was found guilty of high treason, but was saved from execution and paid a heavy fine to be pardoned. He died in August 1499 and was buried in Saint Paul's Cathedral.

Michael J. Bennett, 'Worsley, William (c 1435-1499)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/29987, accessed 17 June 2011].

These records were deposited with records of St Paul's Cathedral in 1980 (except Ms 25166/6A which was deposited by the Church Commissioners in 1959). The accounts were catalogued in 1992 by a member of Guildhall Library staff. The Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.

Records of William Worsley, Dean of St Paul's Cathedral. These account rolls relate to William Worsley's private and personal income and include not only the revenues of the deanery of St Paul's, but also those of his other ecclesiastical preferments and numerous other estates held privately by Worsley in London, Middlesex, Bedfordshire, Essex, Hertfordshire and Berkshire.

Records arranged by MS number, assigned during cataloguing at the Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section.

Available for general access.

Copyright to this collection rests with the depositor.

Latin

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

For a published edition see H Kleineke and S Hovland The Estate and Household Accounts of William Worsley, Dean of St Paul's Cathedral, 1479-97, London Record Society 40 (2004).

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Records prepared May to September 2011. Information sources Documents Primary documents Personal papers Land use Estates (land) Land management Estate management Archives Personal archives Religious groups Clergy Income and wealth Income distribution Income Religious institutions Religious offices Deanery Finance Public finance Revenue Personal finance Property Worsley , William , 1435?-1499 , dean of St Paul's Cathedral St Paul's Cathedral , London Essex England UK Western Europe Europe Hertfordshire Middlesex City of London London Berkshire Bedfordshire Land economics Agricultural economics

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

These records were deposited with records of St Paul's Cathedral in 1980 (except Ms 25166/6A which was deposited by the Church Commissioners in 1959). The accounts were catalogued in 1992 by a member of Guildhall Library staff. The Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Records of William Worsley, Dean of St Paul's Cathedral. These account rolls relate to William Worsley's private and personal income and include not only the revenues of the deanery of St Paul's, but also those of his other ecclesiastical preferments and numerous other estates held privately by Worsley in London, Middlesex, Bedfordshire, Essex, Hertfordshire and Berkshire.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Records arranged by MS number, assigned during cataloguing at the Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Available for general access.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copyright to this collection rests with the depositor.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

Latin

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

London Metropolitan Archives

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area