As with other series shelfmarked MS. Ch. and MS. Rolls, this is an artificial collection created from a range of archival sources, and the provenance of individual items is not always known.

The collection catalogued in 1878 comprised MSS. Ch. Berks. 1-172, 250-6, and MS. Rolls Berkshire 1-5 (Ch. 250-6 originally Ch. Appendix 3-9, later renumbered.) Chs. 1-160 were catalogued as belonging to the archive of Wallingford Priory, subsequently part of the endowment of Christ Church; for more details see the collection summary for Oxon. (Oxfordshire). The provenance of other items was not recorded. A group of documents relating to Windsor and the College of St George may be from the collections of Elias Ashmole.

The major later accessions are as follows:

• Ch. Berks. 296-493: New College leases, bought from William Parker, 1884 (S.C. V.635), some possibly given by John Greville Chester (S.C. V.654): other documents in this accession are now referenced as MSS. Ch. Berks. 296-493, Ch. Cambs. 72-146, Ch. Essex 266b-972, Ch. Glouc. 45-134, Ch. Hants. 23-177, Ch. Kent 251-284, Ch. Lincs. 138-181, Ch. London and Middlesex 226-325, Ch. Norf. 764-825, Ch. Northants. 24-26, Ch. Oxon. 1068-2406, Ch. Sussex 327, Ch. Wilts. 40-211, Ch. Misc. 536.
• Ch. Berks. 888-970, Rolls Berks. 40: Head family deeds (Letcombe Regis), bought from E. G. Tibbits, 1935, with other papers relating to East Hendred (MSS. Top. Berks. c. 40-3, d. 28, [Maps] R. MS. C17: 13(45) (SC 53731-7)
• Ch. Berks. 980-1127: Mallam family title deeds (Milton), given by Barbara Haywood in 1947 (together with MS. Top. Berks. b. 15 containing family estate and legal papers) (SC 53720)
• Ch. Berks. 1326-1410: Smith family title deeds (West Hanney), purchased from the Dene bookshop, Abingdon, 1975.