3,662
edits
m
no edit summary
m (Removed "see above" in the first sentence.) |
mNo edit summary |
||
| Line 40: | Line 40: | ||
The earliest original wills for Durham date from 1540, but there are some registered copy wills for 1526-1534. There are earlier records filed with the superior courts, some dating back to 1311, in the bishop's general serices of act books. There are gaps in the records for early periods; others in poor condition. | The earliest original wills for Durham date from 1540, but there are some registered copy wills for 1526-1534. There are earlier records filed with the superior courts, some dating back to 1311, in the bishop's general serices of act books. There are gaps in the records for early periods; others in poor condition. | ||
Inventories were prevalent from the earliest period through th efirst quarter of the 18th century. They may be filed with the administration bonds as well as with the original wills. Registered copies are usually indexed and arranged chronologically. Page numbers appear in the upper right corner and testators' names are frequently written in the margins. There may be an inventory written at the end of the copy will and almost always there will be a probate act in Latin indicating when the will was proven. | Inventories were prevalent from the earliest period through th efirst quarter of the 18th century. They may be filed with the administration bonds as well as with the original wills. Registered copies are usually indexed and arranged chronologically. Page numbers appear in the upper right corner and testators' names are frequently written in the margins. There may be an inventory written at the end of the copy will and almost always there will be a probate act in Latin indicating when the will was proven.<br> | ||
== Court Jurisdictions == | == Court Jurisdictions == | ||
The whole of the county of Durham was under the primary jurisdiction of the Court of the Bishop of Durham also known as the Episcopal Consistory Court of Durham. This court should be searched first when looking for the probate of a deceased person who lived or owned property in Durham. | The whole of the county of Durham was under the primary jurisdiction of the Court of the Bishop of Durham also known as the Episcopal Consistory Court of Durham. This court should be searched first when looking for the probate of a deceased person who lived or owned property in Durham. Additional courts listed above also had jurisdiction over Durham. If you do not find a probate in the Court of the Bishop of Durham, search those courts. | ||
I you haven't found a will, search the appeals courts listed above. Information about these courts is in the [[England Probate Records|England Probate Records]] page. | |||
| |||
== Probate Indexes Online == | == Probate Indexes Online == | ||
| Line 65: | Line 59: | ||
Beginning in 1858, the government took over the settlement of estates and all wills are now probated through the Principal Probate Registry system. For more information, go to [[Principal Probate Registry]].<br> | Beginning in 1858, the government took over the settlement of estates and all wills are now probated through the Principal Probate Registry system. For more information, go to [[Principal Probate Registry]].<br> | ||
[[Category:England]] [[Category:Durham]] | [[Category:England]] [[Category:Durham]] | ||