1. Introduction
Wales came under the Court of Great Sessions, 1543-1830. The records are held by the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth, Dyfed SY23 3BU. Information relating to criminals, punishment and crime has been extracted from these records and the resulting database is available online.
From 1831, the Welsh records are held at The National Archives, Kew.
2. Criminal trials at the Welsh assizes
The best place to begin a search in the assize records themselves is with the Crown Minute Book, Gaol Book or Agenda Book if one survives - these list the accused and summarise cases heard, or about to be heard, often noting the plea, verdict and sentence. There may be a separate series of minute books for offences, such as the failure of local communities to keep local roads and bridges in a good state of repair. The indictments are the formal statement of the charge against the accused, usually annotated with plea, verdict and sentence and filed in large unwieldy bundles
3. Criminal trials: key
| County | Crown & Gaol Books | Indictments | Depositions | Other | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anglesey | 1831-1938 1835-83 1945-51 |
ASSI 61 ASSI 62 ASSI 79 |
1831-1945 1945-1971 |
ASSI 64 ASSI 83 |
1831-1944 1945-1971 |
ASSI 65 ASSI 84 |
ASSI 59 ,ASSI 63 , ASSI 66 , ASSI 67 |
| Breconshire | 1841-1842 1844-1946 1945-51 |
ASSI 74 ASSI 76 ASSI 79 |
1834-1945 1945-1971 |
ASSI 71 ASSI 83 |
1837-1971 1945-1971 |
ASSI 72 ASSI 84 |
ASSI 73 , ASSI 77 |
| Caernarvonshire | 1831-1938 1835-83 1945-51 |
ASSI 61 ASSI 62 ASSI 79 |
1831-1945 1945-1971 |
ASSI 64 ASSI 83 |
1831-1944 1945-1971 |
ASSI 65 ASSI 84 |
ASSI 59 , ASSI 63 , ASSI 66 , ASSI 67 |
| Cardiganshire | 1841-2 1844-1946 1945-51 |
ASSI 74 ASSI 76 ASSI 79 |
1834-1945 1945-1971 |
ASSI 71 ASSI 83 |
1837-1971 1945-1971 |
ASSI 72 ASSI 84 |
ASSI 73 , ASSI 77 |
| Carmarthenshire | 1841-2 1844-1946 1945-51 |
ASSI 74 ASSI 76 ASSI 79 |
1834-1945 1945-1971 |
ASSI 71 ASSI 83 |
1837-1971 1945-1971 |
ASSI 72 ASSI 84 |
ASSI 73 , ASSI 77 |
| Denbighshire | 1831-1938 1835-83 1945-51 |
ASSI 61 ASSI 62 ASSI 79 |
1831-1945 1945-1971 |
ASSI 64 ASSI 83 |
1831-1944 1945-1971 |
ASSI 65 ASSI 84 |
ASSI 59 , ASSI 63 , ASSI 66 , ASSI 67 |
| Flint | 1831-1938 1835-83 1945-51 |
ASSI 61 ASSI 62 ASSI 79 |
1831-1945 1945-1971 |
ASSI 64 ASSI 83 |
1831-1944 1945-1971 | ASSI 65 ASSI 84 |
ASSI 59 , ASSI 63 , ASSI 66 , ASSI 67 |
| Glamorganshire | 1841-2 1844-1946 1945-51 |
ASSI 74 ASSI 76 ASSI 79 |
1834-1945 1945-1971 |
ASSI 71 ASSI 83 |
1837-1971 1945-1971 |
ASSI 72 ASSI 84 |
ASSI 73 , ASSI 77 |
| Merionethshire | 1831-1938 1835-83 1945-51 |
ASSI 61 ASSI 62 ASSI 79 |
1831-1945 1945-1971 |
ASSI 64 ASSI 83 |
1831-1944 1945-1971 |
ASSI 65 ASSI 84 |
ASSI 59 , ASSI 63 , ASSI 66 , ASSI 67 |
| Montgomeryshire | 1831-1938 1835-83 1945-51 |
ASSI 61 ASSI 62 ASSI 79 |
1831-1945 1945-1971 |
ASSI 64 ASSI 83 |
1831-1944 1945-1971 |
ASSI 65 ASSI 84 |
ASSI 59 , ASSI 63 , ASSI 66 , ASSI 67 |
| Pembrokeshire | 1841-2 1844-1946 1945-51 |
ASSI 74 ASSI 76 ASSI 79 |
1834-1945 1945-1971 |
ASSI 71 ASSI 83 |
1837-1971 1945-1971 |
ASSI 72 ASSI 84 |
ASSI 73 , ASSI 77 |
| Radnor | 1841-2 1844-1946 1945-51 |
ASSI 74 ASSI 76 ASSI 79 |
1834-1945 1945-1971 |
ASSI 71 ASSI 83 |
1837-1971 1945-1971 |
ASSI 72 ASSI 84 |
ASSI 73 , ASSI 77 |
4. Civil trials at the Welsh assizes
Although the central common law courts were based in Westminster, it was possible, and indeed usual, for trials in civil disputes to be held locally, under a writ known as nisi prius. In effect this meant that the cases were heard at the next visit of the circuit judges to hold assize courts in the relevant county. Some records of trials held at nisi prius are therefore found amongst the records of the clerks of assize in ASSI classes.
5. Civil trials: key
| County | Civil Cases | Other Records | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anglesey | 1843-1924 1914-26 1867-1912 1945-70 |
ASSI 57 ASSI 58 ASSI 60 ASSI 78 |
ASSI 59 , ASSI 63 , ASSI 66 , ASSI 67 |
| Breconshire | 1846-1943 1945-70 |
ASSI 75 ASSI 78 |
ASSI 73 , ASSI 77 |
| Caernarvonshire | 1843-1924 1914-26 1867-1912 1945-70 |
ASSI 57 ASSI 58 ASSI 60 ASSI 78 |
ASSI 59 , ASSI 63 , ASSI 66 , ASSI 67 |
| Cardiganshire | 1846-1943 1945-70 |
ASSI 75 ASSI 78 |
ASSI 73 , ASSI 77 |
| Carmarthenshire | 1846-1943 1945-70 |
ASSI 75 ASSI 78 |
ASSI 73 , ASSI 77 |
| Denbighshire | 1843-1924 1914-26 1867-1912 1945-70 |
ASSI 57 ASSI 58 ASSI 60 ASSI 78 |
ASSI 59 , ASSI 63 , ASSI 66 , ASSI 67 |
| Flint | 1843-1924 1914-26 1867-1912 1945-70 |
ASSI 57 ASSI 58 ASSI 60 ASSI 78 |
ASSI 59 , ASSI 63 , ASSI 66 , ASSI 67 |
| Glamorganshire | 1846-1943 1945-70 |
ASSI 75 ASSI 78 |
ASSI 73 , ASSI 77 |
| Merionethshire | 1843-1924 1914-26 1867-1912 1945-70 |
ASSI 57 ASSI 58 ASSI 60 ASSI 78 |
ASSI 59 , ASSI 63 , ASSI 66 , ASSI 67 |
| Montgomeryshire | 1843-1924 1914-26 1867-1912 1945-70 |
ASSI 57 ASSI 58 ASSI 60 ASSI 78 |
ASSI 59 , ASSI 63 , ASSI 66 , ASSI 67 |
| Pembrokeshire | 1846-1943 1945-70 |
ASSI 75 ASSI 78 |
ASSI 73 , ASSI 77 |
| Radnor | 1846-1943 1945-70 |
ASSI 75 ASSI 78 |
ASSI 73 , ASSI 77 |
