The archive consists almost entirely of deeds relating to the Bettisfield estate in Flintshire, [c.1240]-1951, and estate and family letters, 1588-1889. The remainder of the archive includes two medieval French vellum rolls, one containing a metrical version of the life of St Melor, written about the end of the thirteenth century, and the other a short religious poem, [15th cent.]; draft sheets of Sir Thomas Hanmer's 'Garden Book' [17th cent.]; pedigree rolls; rolls of proceedings at sheriffs' tourns and manorial courts of the lordship of Maelor Saesneg, 1413 and 1444; court rolls of the manor of Overton, 1618, and of the manor of Overton and hundred of Maelor Saesneg, 1672-1720; letters and warrants relating to the Civil War, 1642-1650; letters relating to Richard Steele, Puritan minister at Hanmer, 1660, and papers relating to the Bagillt, Kelsterton, Flint Mill, Boars Head, Flint Marsh, Englefield, Soughton Mountain, Dee Bank and Lletty collieries, Flintshire, 1794-1846.