Court of the Archdeaconry of Canterbury
Step By Step
1. First search each index (see below) to help you more quickly find the will, writing down each detail cited in the indexed entry.
2. Proceed to "Records" (below) to determine what probate records exist for this court. Also see "FamilySearch Library Records."
3. Contact or visit Centre for Kentish Studies or, hire a professional record searcher to view these records on your behalf. Officials may send upon request a list of record searchers.
4. Visit The FamilySearch Library, or, one of its 4,500 satellite FamilySearch centers worldwide and search indexes to probate records; then with the information obtained from the index[es] you can search more quickly the original wills and admons available online at a local FamilySearch centre or a FamilySearch affiliate library near you.
Indexes
Online Indexes
The East Kent Archealogical Society has created online indexes to East Kent probate records from 1396-1858.
Printed and Published Indexes
The indexes and original records have been digitized and are available online at a FamilySearch centre or a FamilySearch affiliate library near you:
| Index Call # | Title of Index | Index relates to | Notes |
| 942.23 P22bgl 4 vols. microfiche #6026693-6026696 | Archdeaconry Court of Canterbury, county of Kent, 1449-1712 : index of wills, listed alphabetically by surnames | Registered wills on film beginning with film # 0188913 | - |
| 942.23 P22bg 4 vols. microfiche #6026697-6026700 | Archdeaconry Court of Canterbury, county of Kent, 1449-1712 : index of wills, listed alphabetically by locality | Registered wills on film beginning with film # 0188913 | - |
| 942.23 P22bgm 2 vols. microfilm #1559403 | Archdeaconry Court of Canterbury, county of Kent, 1449-1958: index to original wills | Original wills on film beginning with film # 1042603 | - |
| 942.23 P22bgo 2 vols. microfiche #6035798-799 | Archdeaconry Court of Canterbury, county of Kent, 1713-1858: index of wills, listed alphabetically by locality | Registered wills on film beginning with film # 0188913 | - |
| 942.23 P22bgp 2 vols. microfiche #6035796-6035797 | Archdeaconry Court of Canterbury, county of Kent,1713-1858: index of wills, listed alphabetically by surname | Registered wills on film beginning with film # 0188913 | - |
| 942 B4b vol. 50 | Index of Wills and Administrations now Preserved in the Probate Registry at Canterbury 1396-1558, 1640-1650 | Wills and administrations on film beginning with film # 0188831 and # 0189226 | also in book 942.23 B4ka v. 6 microfilm #0973302 & microfiche #6072890 (7 fiche) |
| Microfilm #1544555 items 30-31 and 1544588 item 1 | Notebooks containing lists of wills, searches and depositions for Kent families, dating from 1560-1857, from various courts | various | - |
| 942.23 B4ka vol. 3 microfilm #874099 item 3 & microfiche #6072887 (2 fiche) | Sede vacante wills : a calendar of wills proved before the commissary of the prior and chapter of Christ Church, Canterbury, during vacancies in the primacy, with an appendix containing transcripts of archiepiscopal and other wills of importance, from various courts | various | - |
| 942.23 H25k no. 9, 13, 20, 21 | Weald of East Kent : will abstracts from the Archdeaconry Court of Canterbury, Kent | Wills on film beginning with film # 1042603 | v. 1. Parish of Benenden, will numbers 1-159 -- v. 2. Parish of Bethersden, will numbers 160-323 -- v. 3. Parish of Biddenden, will numbers 324-471 -- v. 4. Parish of Cranbrook, will numbers 472-663 |
| Microfiche #6341166 | The Weald of East Kent : will abstracts from the Archdeaconry court of Canterbury, Kent, volumes 21-50 (KAO : PRC 17), index of will abstracts | Wills on film beginning with film # 1042603 | Contains a surname index (A-Y) of all persons cited in the Kentish will abstracts (1536-1597) in the parishes of Benenden, Bethersden, Biddenden, Cranbrook, Frittenden, Goudhurst, Halden, Hawkhurst, Headcorn, Marden, Newenden, Rolvenden, Sandhurst, Smarden, Staplehurst, Tenterden, Wittersham and Woodchurch. |
| Microfiche #6204480 | Will and register abstracts of families and people, mostly of Kent, letter A, from various courts | - | Will and parish register abstracts for individuals whose surname begins with the letter "A". |
Records
Archive Location
Centre for Kentish Studies
Kent Archives Service
Sessions House
County Hall
Maidstone ME14 1XQ
Tel: 01622 694363
Fax: 01622 694379
Email: archives@kent.gov.uk
Website: http://www.kent.gov.uk/leisure_and_culture/archives_and_local_history.aspx
Archive Records
The records include:
- Original and copy wills 1450-1858
- Register copy wills 1449-1648, 1660-1858 (1471-1546 covers only the parishes of Ash, Goodnestone, nonington, WIngham and Womenswould)
- Act books 1487-1645, 1663-1858 (indexed from 1586)
- Administration bonds 1660-1858
- Inventory papers 1571-1650, 1660-1842 (incomplete)
- Inventory registers 1565-1638
- Temporary administrations 1585-1646, 1660-1716 (indexed)
- Guardians registers 1584-1650, 1660-1767, 1784, 1793 (indexed)
- Guardians papers (1676-1731)
- Caveats 1625-38, 1641-50, 1660-1858 (indexed)
- Renunciation papers 1676-1858
- Account papers and registers 1568-1650, 1662-1728
FamilySearch Library Records
Probate records for the Court of the Archdeaconry of Canterbury, 1449-1858
- Wills, account papers, inventory papers, etc., 1450-1858
- Probate records, 1550-1858 Act Books, Temporary Admons, Index of Accounts 1568-1699 Index of Act Books 1550-1582
- Probate records for Canterbury, 1592-1701
- Weald of East Kent: will abstracts from the Archdeaconry Court of Canterbury, Kent
Familysearch.org Records of Images 1450-1857
These images are original records of probate, but also include:
Account papers
Administration bonds
Caveats
Guardian registers
Inventories
Miscellaneous court papers
Miscellaneous court papers index
Renunciation papers
Wills
Jurisdictions
The Court of the Archdeaconry of Canterbury had primary jurisdiction over most of the eastern half of the county of Kent, basicially from the city of Maidstone eastward. Some parishes in the eastern half, including Maidstone, were under the primary jurisdiction of the Consistory Court of Canterbury. See the parish jurisdiction lists for specifics.
Jurisdiction includes 216 parishes in the Diocese of Canterbury. Register copy wills for 1471-1546 covers only Ash, Goodnestone, Nonington, Wingham & Womenswould.