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Links to further information:
Signatures from old vestry book

Heritage and Archives


Other places to look!

Over the centuries all sorts of items have been given away, taken (!) or found their way to other churches, museums and other places.
Whilst our knowledge of these is only partial it does give an interesting list of other places to visit and find something of Frome's past while you are there.

Other websites

  • A wide range of relevant material, including extracts from old church records and the 1840 Tithe apportionment can be found on the fromeresearch website
  • Much useful local information is held at Frome Museum whose exhibitions and archives are worth the visit.

Transcripts and extracts from Frome Selwood parish archives:

Unless otherwise indicated files are in .htm webpage format. The larger files such as the marriage finding aid are in .csv or .zip compressed EXCEL format as the file size in HTML would be excessive [Excel's own 'save as' to .htm makes the marriage finding aid into an 83MB .htm file and even going via .csv to .htm gives a 1.5MB .htm file which is too large to be fair on dial-up connections!]

  • Transcript of assorted leases relating to properties which stood on the church forecourt before the making of Bath Street

  • Details of collections made 1661-63, 1674-77 and 1687-89 in reponse to appeals by way of 'church briefs' to assist other places and people in need

  • Transcripts of C18 Vestry meetings:
    • An indexed transcript of the Vestry minutes held at St John's has been published as a 48page A4 booklet ISBN 0 9530026 2 4 (Price £5 plus P&P) A sample of the information contained in the volume can be read in the Minutes taken during 1790-1800.

      This was the century when the church Vestry meeting fulfilled most of the functions of the modern local authorities from education and highways to health and welfare of the poor.


  • Sample of information in 1745 Church Rates for surnames beginning with the letter A in each of the three tithings of the parish

  • List (18KB) of Apprentices in early C18 from Vestry Book

  • List (.pdf file) of Benefactions from Tables set up in 1681 and removed in 1860's

  • List (84KB image) of Churchwardens

  • List (453KB) of Vestry Meeting Attendance for early/mid C18

  • Download 293KB .csv file: Finding Aid for marriages at St Johns from 1813 to 1853
    NB you will need to download this file and then use a text editor or preferably any spreadsheet program to view the data.
  • Download 260KB .ZIP compressed EXCEL file: Finding Aid for Marriages at St John's from 1813 to 1853
    NB you will need to download this file and then unzip the file on your computer
  • Download 91KB .ZIP compressed HTML file (2MB uncompressed): Index for Baptisms at St John's from 1813 to 1821
    NB you will need to download this file and then unzip the file on your computer

  • List (122KB) of Woodlands Baptisms from 1872 to 1903
  • Download 19KB .ZIP compressed EXCEL file: Transcript of Baptisms at Woodlands from 1872 to 1903
    NB you will need to download this file and then unzip the file on your computer


The number of marriages recorded 1558-1853 and notes about missing information can be found here
Please be patient... this site is under construction