Transcriptions include the questions asked on the returns as well as the answers provided by parish clergy.

The general approach taken to creating transcriptions was to replicate the school returns as closely as possible, but to make them more readable where necessary. Many of the returns contain little punctuation, and it has been added for readability. Given this, transcriptions are not an exact copy of the school returns.

In some cases, the spelling of personal names, place names and common words is different to 21st century norms or an error may exist. The spelling used in the returns has been preserved.

Square brackets are used to indicate inferred or uncertain information, or other information added by the transcriber.

Further editorial notes that apply to individual transcriptions are recorded on them.

Glossary

d. = pence

s. = shilling