Anyone know how long a church would keep documents for? Special Licence for a wedding

[HurdyGurdy19]

We got married outside of either of our parishes, and so needed a Special Licence.

It is one of my regrets that I didn't get the licence back from the vicar after the wedding. It was a lovely, ornate document and obviously has sentimental value.

We married 41 years ago, so is there any chance that a copy of this licence would still be kept, or would it have been destroyed by now?

I can find the church online, but can't find any contact details for it, so wouldn't even know who to contact to ask. Or would the Archbishop of Canterbury's office maybe still have it?

Special licences are kept by the Archbishop of Canterbury's Faculty office The Faculty Office Couples don't normally get to keep the licence which is why the vicar won't have sent it back to you.

Thank you @Bean2512

The vicar definitely said that if we waited for a period of time (can't remember now how ling he said, but less than 12 months) and got back in touch with him, he could give us the licence.

But thank you. I can stop beating myself up now for not remembering to contact him.

Interesting. We had a couple marry by special license in our church earlier this year and were advised by the diocesan legal team that the license is the couple’s property and should be given to them.