The Pipe Roll Society

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While PG was researching a historical topic in connection with some of his reading, he stumbled across The Pipe Roll Society.

“What,” you may ask, “is The Pipe Roll Society?”

The Pipe Roll Society, founded at the Public Record Office (now The National Archives) in 1884, is dedicated to publishing editions of the pipe rolls of the Exchequer and of other related medieval documents.

If you are a semi-civilized American like PG, you might need to inquire, “What is a pipe roll and why does it merit a society?”

The pipe rolls are the annual accounts of debts and payments maintained by the Exchequer. The pipe rolls is the earliest series of public records: the earliest pipe roll dates from 1129-1130, and they run in an almost unbroken series from 1155 until 1832. They are now housed in The National Archives in Kew, under the record series E 372.

The early pipe rolls were based on the sheriffs’ accounts and are full of information about payments made by the Crown, payments made to the Crown, and debts owed. This can reveal a huge amount about the functioning and resources of medieval government, and how people in the localities interacted with it.

. . . .

The roll was called the great roll because of its size and significance; it was probably called the pipe roll because, when rolled up, it looked like a pipe.

If you have accompanied PG this far in his meandering, you might be interested in what a pipe roll looks like.

For those whose imaginations are on fire, you can join The Pipe Roll Society, even if you are an American or a resident of some other late-to-civilization country here (credit cards accepted).

Once you join The Pipe Roll Society, you will want to flaunt your support of British history by purchasing a Pipe Roll Society tie or pin.

And yes, the tie is hand-washable, so you will be able to continue wearing it into your old age when you might tend to dribble the odd bit of soup on it.

And, finally, your assignment for today is to use “pipe roll” in a sentence when you are speaking with an understanding friend.

4 thoughts on “The Pipe Roll Society”

  1. I live in a marijuana growing region, PG.

    The term ‘pipe roll’ will definitely get misinterpreted.

    🙂

    • Uncle – There is that.

      Perhaps it’s not a good idea for me to purchase a Pipe Roll Society tie after all.

  2. Said to a friend who was griping over an expense on the town budget: “Hey, if it was good enough for the pipe roll, it’s good enough for me. Pipe down already, I’m tired of hearing you pipe on about money.”

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