| Administrative History | In the sixteenth century systematic surveys were undertaken by the English kings of arms of the right of individuals to bear arms and to record their pedigrees. Manuscript copies were made of the heralds’ notebooks. Herald’s Visitations ceased after 1689.
William Flower (c1498-1588) was born in York. He became a pursuivant extraordinary for Guisnes, near Calais, in 1536 and was eventually promoted to Norroy King of Arms in 1562 He married Helen Davyes, with whom he had five children, including a daughter, Elizabeth, who was married to Robert Glover, the Somerset Herald, who acted as William Flower's deputy. William Flower and Robert Glover came to Derbyshire to check local families’ right to bear arms in 1569 and 1611. These visitation notes and pedigrees were amended up to 1653. From 1662 to 1664 William Dugdale undertook another visitation of the county (see Dugdale’s Visitation of Derbyshire 1662-1664, published by the Harleian Society, 1989). |
| Custodial History | These documents were purchased by the Record Office in September 1976. |