Parish records to be transferred to English county archive

Twm Owen, local democracy reporter

Parish records that have been held in a Welsh museum for 40 years are to be sent across the border.

The Dixton Archive is made up of various parish records from the village a mile north of Monmouth on the banks of the Wye.

The various papers have been held as part of Monmouth Museum’s collection since 1985 but the county council is set to agree they should be permanently handed over to the Hereford Record Office.

A report by Monmouthshire’s museums and arts manager Rachael Rogers states: “Herefordshire Archive hold the rest of the parish records for Dixton and allow free access to them for the public. They are also in a better position to store and conserve them then we are at MonLife Museums.”

The report states the transfer will ensure the records continue to be available to the public.

Two manors

According to the report the archive covering the parish, which was originally comprised of two manors either side of the river, should have gone to Hereford.

Ms Rogers’ report states: “We have held this collection of documents since 1985. However, under the Parochial Records and Registers Measure of 1978 they should have gone to the designated Diocesan Record Office.”

A designated Diocesan Record Office is the official home for records created by the Church of England, which had operated in Wales before it was disestablished in 1914.

A formal decision to approve the handover of the records is due to be made by Monmouthshire council cabinet member Sarah Burch on Wednesday, January 15.