Register E: the ‘Great Cartulary’ of Christ Church Priory, Canterbury

Register E (hereafter Reg.E) is both an honoured, but significantly understudied cartulary (Fig. 1). Despite having been calendared, cited, catalogued, and criticised in many major studies of Christ Church Priory, Canterbury, there are still significant gaps in our understanding of how, why, and when Reg.E was produced. Reg.E, like many other cartularies, has been more appreciated for its contents than for itself, but its qualities and characteristics do deserve a more holistic examination as they reveal valuable insights into the complex world in which its commissioner, Prior Henry of Eastry (in office from 1285-1331; hereafter Henry), and his scriptoria were operating.

This article aims to determine what can be learnt by thoroughly reexamining the content, structure, and context of Reg.E, a cartulary now rightly known by the title recently given by Nicholas Brooks and Susan Kelly; the ‘Great Cartulary.’