The first volume in the series was the edition of the charters of Rochester, prepared by Professor Alistair Campbell (Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon, University of Oxford) and published in 1973. The edition was not prepared in strict accordance with the agreed editorial guidelines, in the sense (for example) that it lacks any detailed commentary on each charter. The second volume was the edition of the charters of Burton abbey, prepared by Professor Peter Sawyer, in accordance with the guidelines, and published in 1979. The guidelines were revised, slightly, in the early 1980s (see below); and these revised guidelines underlie the edition of the charters of Sherborne abbey, prepared by Dr Many Anne O'Donovan and published in 1988. Subsequent volumes in the series have been prepared in accordance with the same principles and have followed the same format, though certain modifications have been introduced in points of detail.
The guidelines for editors (1984) may be seen here: Guidelines for Editors (.pdf file).
An updated version of these guidelines is in preparation.