Catalogue description Court of Common Pleas: Recorda Files

The Recorda files include the records of cases in inferior courts subject to supervision by Common Pleas, returned with their accompanying writs and filed. It is not certain when Recorda files began to be kept by the court, but it was during the early 14th century, since recorda material is found on the Brevia files (CP 52) in the 1290s, and the earliest example of a Recorda file yet identified relates to the regnal years 3-20 Edward III. Only two other Recorda files of the court have yet been identified, which relate to the years 24-25 Edward III (a fragment) and 20-32 Henry VI. Each known file therefore covers a number of years, and Common Pleas seems never to have had the regular series of annual Recorda files which the King's Bench maintained (KB 145). That is not surprising, because it did not have the range of supervisory powers which the King's Bench developed in the early 14th century. In fact much of the content of the files seem to consist of returns to writs sent to the treasurer and chamberlains of the Exchequer requesting certifications of feet of fines and plea rolls of the court which were old enough to have already been transferred there for safe custody.

See also:

CP 52

KB 145