17th century Cork couples needed ‘insurance policies’ of up to €200k to get married

Seventeenth-century Cork couples had to lodge expensive ‘insurance policies’ of up to €200,000 with their local bishop before they were legally cleared to tie the knot, newly-digitised documents show.

Thousands of the so-called Cork marriage bond documents, dating from 1673 to 1750, show couples signing bonds ranging from £40 to £200 but in some cases, up to a whopping £1,000, to ensure their marriage could legally proceed.