What Is Canon Law?

Canon law is ecclesiastical law that is based on concepts and ideas from the New Testament of the bible. It is made up of the formal decrees of Church councils relating to doctrine and discipline in the church.

Before the time of William the Conqueror, after which all administrative systems changed, the courts were very much one organisation, hearing church matters and non church matters. Bishops and elder men sat as joint judges.

The pope did not like such courts and William the conqueror was able to get the Pope's approval for his conquest of Britain by promising to establish separate church courts to consider offences against morality and the doctrines of the Church and related but secular matters such as legitimacy and matrimonial cases.

There were two ecclesiastical courts in Britain, one based at Canterbury and one based at York. These were divided into diocese and each one had its own diocesan or consistory court.