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Files created by the Bishop's Furnishing Officer concerning the disposal of furniture, fittings and other artifacts from closed or redundant churches.

Inventoriesof documents in parish custody compiled for the Bishop's Books and Documents Committee. Includes transcripts or extended excerpts from original records (but not parish registers) and the committee minutes for 1957-1976.

Books prepared for use at visitations in which were entered notes of matters presented or detected. Documents exhibited before the visitor such as glebe terriers, parish register bills and presentments were noted, but not their contents. The names of old and new churchwardens were entered as well. Occasionally the dates of institution and induction of a beneficed clergyman are recorded, though these were more usually entered in the consignation books: see list DN/VSC. Lists of citations of parishioners and clergy summoned to appear before the visitor record the reason for the summons and can include schoolmasters, surgeons, physicians, midwives, and executors of wills or administrators of goods and chattels.

Notices given to the Bishop of the reasons for an incumbent not residing within his benefice.

The Residence Act of 1803 established a system of licensing for non-resident clergy.

These records are licences granted by the Bishop permitting incumbents to reside elsewhere than within their benefices. After the Pluralities Act -of 1838 introduced new limits on pluralism, a new printed form was introduced in 1839 for the licences of those who resided elsewhere because there was no parsonage house or it was unfit to live in, and these were filed separately although some licences issued for these reasons also continued to be entered on the older type of form. See DN/NRL 15 for an index of clergy names in this series.

Licences and nominations to act as curates and chaplains with, in some cases, supporting papers such as the curate's subscription to the 39 Articles and testimonials. From 1821 the nominations are filed separately and are listed in the second half of the list.

Papers submitted by candidates for ordination. Before 1748 the papers consist largely of letters of testimonial concerning the fitness of candidates for orders. From about 1748 the papers should contain five documents: a signification, naming the candidate and his place of abode; a si quis or notice of application for ordination which usually names a parish of residence; proof of age, usually a baptism certificate; letters of testimonial from a college and other referees living in or near the candidate's parish of residence; and a proof of title to orders (that is, proof of possession of a curacy, benefice, college fellowship or other means of subsistence suitable to the ordinand's new order). Alternatively, a candidate could be ordained by letter dimissory, a letter of recommendation from the bishop in whose diocese the candidate held his title. In such a case, the candidate's ordination papers should remain in the custody of the bishop who issued the letter dimissory. The more recent papers are less informative, but still may include references to the candidate's education and training and also photocopy birth/baptims certificates.

Testimonials for holy orders, for schoolmasters, surgeons and midwives and for curates' licences.

Surrogate account books, register, and bonds.

The subscription books are numbered as far as possible in accordance with the numbering used in E.H. Carter, 'The Norwich Subscription Books'. Usually the subscriptions are intermingled but where they can be distinguished a note has been made.
From 1558 all clerks were required to swear an oath of allegiance to the crown and in 1571 (formalised in 1604) all clerks before their ordination or institution to a new benefice were to declare their assent to the three Articles of Religion: recognition of royal supremacy; use of the Book of Common Prayer and adhesion to the 39 Articles of 1562. To these requirements was added an oath against simony and other oaths before institution. Schoolmasters, physicians, surgeons, and midwives were required to subscribe to the 39 Articles and royal supremacy before being granted a licence.