Norman, You're right to be cautious about submitted trees and most don't cite sources. But you have to be very lucky to find 500 year old records especially since it's right in the middle of the Reformation. Family Search suggest 1538 as the earliest date for English records. But this is obviously not across all parishes. The place to check availability for specific parishes is http://www.archersoftware.co.uk/igi/index.htm But I stress this is only Family Search data on a parish by parish basis. Shepton Mallett marriages, for example, only cover from 1566-1679. There are also big gaps in baptism records, indicating records probably have not survived. Peter in Sydney