Court of the Peculiar of the Archbishop of Canterbury for the Exempt Deanery of South Malling

England Sussex  Sussex Probate Records

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 then to "Records" (see below) to determine what probate records exist for this court.

3. Contact or visit the Lichfield Record Office (see address below), to hire a professional record searcher to view these records on your behalf, citing information obtained from the indexes (see next heading). Officials may send upon request a list of record searchers.

4. You can also visit The Family History Library, or, one of its 4,500 satellite family history centers worldwide and search indexes and wills (see the Family History Library's cataloged entries providing the microfilm numbers so you can have them circulated to the center near you for searching). The information obtained from the index[es] will help you more quickly search the wills and admons which can also be circulated on microfilm via any family history.

Indexes
The probate collection includes a Calendars and indexes to wills, administrations and inventories. A calendar is an index arranged first alphabetically by the beginning letter of a testator's surname and second by date.

Online Indexes
This is a website for which you may request a search to be made.

Printed and Published Indexes
The Index Library has printed an index from 1588-1660

Manuscript Indexes in The Family History Library


 * Calendars of Wills &amp; Admons 1509-1660
 * Index to Original Wills 1588-1858
 * Index to Some Wills proved and Admons Granted in the Peculiar Deanery of South Malling, 1560-1567. Included are also an index to an additional 216 Sussex Wills. The indexes comprise pages 138-152 Sussex archaeological collections - v. 50 (1907)

Archives Location
The East Sussex Record Office The Maltings Castle Precincts Lewes East Sussex BN7 1YT ENGLAND Tel 44-(0)1273 482349 E-Mail: [mailto:archives@eastsussexcc.gov.uk archives@eastsussexcc.gov.uk] Website

Archive Records
Add information about the manuscript, printed and digital records in this location.


 * Original Wills 1588-1681; 1750-1773
 * Administrations (Admons) 1751-1857 (Admons are added in with Registered Wills after 1714)
 * Registered Copy Wills 1682-1858
 * Indexes 1588-1660; 1682-1858

Family History Library Records
These have been microfilmed and are available at the *Family History Library in Salt Lake City and through family history centers. They include:


 * Original Wills &amp; Administrations (Admons) 1588-1858
 * Registered Wills &amp; Admons 1588-1858
 * Inventories and Bonds 1730-1836
 * Caveat Book 1728-1858
 * Compotus Rolls 1722-1723
 * Index to Original Wills 1588-1858

Jurisdiction
This peculiar court held concurrent jurisdiction over the following East Sussex parishes:


 * Buxted
 * The Cliffe or St Thomas Lewes
 * Edburton
 * Framfield
 * Glynde
 * Isfield
 * Lindfield
 * Mayfield
 * Ringmer
 * South Malling
 * Stanmer
 * Uckfield
 * Wadhurst

Appeals Courts
Any probate that was disputed and could not be settled by the county courts could be sent to these higher appeals courts:


 * Court of Arches
 * High Court of Delegates

The Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury also served as an appeals court.

Estate Duty Records
Starting in 1796, a tax or death duty was payable on estates over a certain value. Estate duty abstracts may add considerable information not found elsewhere. Estate duty indexes may help you locate a will. For more information, go to Estate Duty Records.