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Document details

This screen displays the database record for the chosen E 179 document (or the selected part). It gives basic details of the physical appearance of the document, notes on its content and history, details of any printed transcriptions, and finally a list of the place names contained within it.

The first section of the record gives the reference of the particular document, the document type or types assigned to it, and its basic physical appearance (namely its format, the number of constituent membranes, folios, etc., whether the document is made of parchment or paper, if it is indented, and whether it is enclosed in an original bag or pouch). Where applicable, this section also gives the reference number of any other E 179 document of which the chosen document may once have formed part, or to which this document may have been transferred. Finally the language of the document is noted.

The record then provides various notes about the document. The first notes field (where applicable) gives details of any known publications containing a full or partial transcription of the selected document. The second contains more general notes about the document. This generally includes a brief description of the document, details of the identification and dating (particularly where this is not explicitly stated), references to associated documents and other relevant information.

Dates associated with the document are then given. Each has been assigned a date of production ('Date of Document'), and the record may also contain a date of delivery (into the Exchequer). Composite documents may also contain one or more subsidiary document dates. As a general rule, dates given without brackets actually appear within the document itself, while those in brackets have been calculated from other information given within the document or by comparison with other sources (these will generally be explained in the notes field). Dates are given either as a simple date, a range (e.g. 1523 Jan 14 - Feb 7), or an estimate (e.g. [1300 Jan 1 x 1301 Dec 31]).

The penultimate section lists the tax or taxes to which the document relates. This field contains the name of the tax, the date or estimated date on which it was granted or imposed, and (where appropriate) the specific collection. Pressing the 'Notes' button to the right of the grant details allows access to the main database record for that particular tax, providing users with further information about the grant concerned.

The final section of the record comprises an index of the place names which appear as headings within the selected document. These are given in an indented hierarchy reflecting the arrangement of the document, together with internal references indicating the position of each name within the document. Names which are illegible or missing are generally also noted, while those given in brackets have either been added to allow easier searching (e.g. a county heading which does not actually appear but is needed to allow the document to appear on a search for that county), or is missing or illegible but can be calculated by other means (e.g. comparison with other documents or analysis of individuals taxed). Financial details of the tax assessment made upon that place or upon individuals resident within it are not included in the document information or index, and personal names are only listed where they appear as main headings for a specific reason (e.g. the lands of an abbot or prior, or the estates of a nobleman).

Two further buttons, located at the top of the record, allow the user to access additional functions of the database. The first button transfers the user to the record for this document in the Catalogue, the National Archives main on-line catalogue. However, details given there are generally abbreviated versions of the entries appearing in this database, and are unlikely to provide any further information. The second button opens up a separate browser window containing a printer-friendly version of the document details screen, to allow the record to be printed in a simpler, space-saving format. To access either of these functions, simply press the relevant button.