Genealogy Chat

I know there's lots of threads about wills, but I'm stuck! I found a reference for a 1635 will of my gt x 9 grandfather. It said that it was 'Now Preserved in the Probate Registry at Winchester'. Winchester Probate registry said to go the the National Archives for a copy as they can only go back to 1956. A National Archives search produced no results. Can anyone help please? Trudi

Trudi, was it from ancestry that you got this info? There was one like this a few weeks ago from an index on ancestry. The National Archives only have the wills that were proved by the PCC (Canterbury) but it looks like yours was Winchester, and at the time you are talking (pre-1858) about, it was the Church of England that was in charge of proving wills, so you need to find out where the pre-1858 wills for Winchester would be, most likely the record office for the county that Winchester is in (can't think at the moment! Stupid me!) Kate.

No definite answer but if it was a Hampshie Will perhaps the Record Office in Winchester have a copy, maybe on film. Gwyn

Hampshire wills are held at HRO, in Winchester. Really good series of wills, and I seem to remember that HRO will cheerfully do photocopies for you.

Thank you Gwyneth and Kate. The will was from Sussex, and the administration was in Chichester, but Winchester is in Hampshire. The court of the Archbishop of Canterbury was involved, so that would be the C of E. Still not sure where to go from here - Sussex or Hampshire! Best wishes Trudi

Just phone the Hampshire RO at Wnchester. If they don't have it, they will still be able to help you, by explaining where it is (and I bet they do have it!) Merry

Does the index tell you which court the will was proved in: consistory, archdeaconry etc? Some early Surrey wills are at Winchester. I thought that Sussex wills were at Chichester or Lewes, but it all depends on the court and where the relevant diocesan record office is.

It definitely started in Sussex: Sussex: - Calendar of Administrations in the Consistory court of the Bishop of Chichester 1555-1800, Calendar of Wills and Administrations in the Peculiar court of the Archbishop of Canterbury 1520-1670, Calendar of Wills and Administrations in the Peculi Register 3. Administrations in the Consistory Court at Chichester 1555-1800 Now Preserved in the Probate Registry at Winchester. County: Sussex Country: England Longley, Longely, James, Lurgashall H 22 1635 ?? Trudi ??

Wierd or what? Searching all three record offices, none appear to say they have the court you are interested in. West Sussex has some Consistory court records, but the catalogue doesn't say which!

Thanks Phoenix! I think I'll have to persuade my clan to holiday in Bognor this year and then I can go off sleuthing! Very best wishes Trudi