St Dunstan in the West, London Genealogy

Guide to St Dunstan in the West, Middlesex ancestry, family history, and genealogy: Parish registers, transcripts, census records, birth records, marriage records, and death records.

Parish History
"St Dunstan in the West, the church of, is situated on the north side of the west end of Fleet Street, where it has been long known as a grievous incumbrance to Hackney and stage coachmen, drivers of omnibuses, and country females. But as it is about to be taken down, to the infinite regret of the city pickpockets, any description of it is unnecessary. It, however, unfortunately for the public, narrowly escaped destruction by the great fire of 1666, the flames having been stopped within three houses of its walls. It has been several times repaired, but it will, ere long,...be removed. It is a church of very ancient foundation, in the gift of the abbot and convent of Westminster, who in 1237 gave it to Henry III towards the maintenance of the foundation of the house called the Rolls, for the reception of converted Jews. It was afterwards conveyed to the abbot and convent of Alnwick, in Northumberland, in whom it continued till the dissolution of the religious houses by Henry VIII. Edward VI granted the advowson of this church under the name of a vicarage to Lord Dudley. Soon after this, the rectory and vicarage were granted to Sir Richard Sackville, and the impropriation has ever since remained in private hands."


 * An Historical Account of the Constitution of the Vestry of the Parish of St. Dunstan's in the West, London. London: John Morphew, 1714. Digital version at Google Books.

1848 description

St. Dunstan-in-the-West is a parish, in the City of London Without the Walls. The patron is Trustees of the late Rev. Charles Simeon. It is a part of the West London union.

Church records
NOTE: The parish of St. Dunstan in the West during the mid 1700's has quite a few christening entries for Black people, for people born in other countries such as America and the Philippines, and for foundlings. It might be helpful to also be aware that there are entries with a child's name and the parents' given names but no surname. There are three times that this happened between 1758 and 1768.

To find the names of the neighbouring parishes, use England Jurisdictions 1851. In this site, search for the name of the parish, click on the location "pin", click Options and click List contiguous parishes.

1541 Subsidy

 * 1541 London Subsidy Roll, Farringdon Ward Without - Saynt Dunstones Paryssheat British History Online

1547 Subsidy

 * St Dunstan in the West, Farringdon Without Ward, London (The National Archives, Ref: E179/145/145); copy:.

1564 Subsidy

 * St Dunstan in the West, Farringdon Without Ward, London (The National Archives, Ref: E179/145/218), Copy:.

1577 Subsidy

 * 1576 London Subsidy Roll, St Dunstones in the west at Alan H. Nelson website (The National Archives, Ref: E179/145/252)
 * St Dunstan in the West, Farringdon Without Ward (includes Chancery Lane, Crown Court, Ram Alley, Fetter Lane, Whitefriars), London (The National Archives, Ref: E179/145/252); copy:.

1582 Subsidy



 * 1582 London Subsidy Roll, Farringdon Ward Without - St Dunstones Parisheat British History Online

1622 Subsidy

 * St Dunstan in the West, Farringdon Without Ward, London (The National Archives, Ref: E179/147/505); copy:.

1625 Subsidy

 * St Dunstan in the West, Farringdon Without Ward, London (The National Archives, Ref: E179/147/537); copy:.

1638 Inhabitants List

 * Inhabitants of London in 1638 - St Dunstan in the Westat British History Online

1646 Subsidy

 * St Dunstan in the West, Farringdon Ward Without, London (The National Archives, Ref: E179/147/590 Part 12); copy:.

1666 Hearth Tax

 * Hearth Tax: City of London 1666 - St Dunstan in the Westat British History Online

Civil Registration
Birth, marriages and deaths were kept by the government, from July 1837 to the present day. The civil registration article tells more about these records. There are several Internet sites with name lists or indexes. A popular site is FreeBMD.

Probate records
Before 1858, St Dunstan in the West fell under the jurisdiction of the Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London. From 1858 to the present, refer to the Principal Probate Registry.

Go to London Probate Records to find the names of the courts having secondary jurisdiction. Scroll down in the article to the section Court Jurisdictions by Parish.

Records of wills, administrations, inventories, indexes, etc. were filed by the court with jurisdiction over this parish.

Cemetery




A survey of monumental brasses, published 1891, is available online.




 * (17+ entries)

Records of the Poor
Contributor: Add information about the pertinent poor law unions in the area.

Maps and Gazetteers
Maps are a visual look at the locations in England. Gazetteers contain brief summaries about a place.


 * England Jurisdictions 1851
 * Vision of Britain

Websites

 * London Family History Centre Catalogue
 * St Dunstan-in-the-West (official website). Photographs, history, visitor directions.
 * Sketch of St Dunstan in the West Parish Church (1829)at London Ancestor
 * (to narrow results, conduct a subject search for 'London St Dunstan in the West')