Court of the Deanery and Royal Peculiar of the Collegiate Church of Middleham

England Yorkshire  Yorkshire Probate Courts

To read a general explanation of probates in England, click here. Click to read a definition of the word peculiar.

Description
Probate is the legal court process by which the estate of a deceased person is distributed to his or her heirs. The term probate refers to a collection of documents, including wills, administrations (also called admons), inventories, and act books. The Church of England ecclesiastical courts had authority for this process until to 1858.

Step By Step
1. Search indexes to help you more quickly find the will, writing down each detail given in the index.

2. Go to the Archive Records below to determine what original probate records exist for this court.

3. Obtain the records to search. Use one of these methods to find indexes and records.


 * Contact or visit the Archive (see below) or hire a professional record searcher to view these records on your behalf.
 * Order microfilm copies of the indexes and records listed in the Family History Library Records (see section below) by visiting the Family History Library or one of its family history centers and search indexes and records.

Indexes
Indexes for 54 peculiar courts, 1383-1883, are available online on British Origins. This is a subscription site.

The Family History Library has a calendar, 1722-1854, on film number 98916 item 7. It's a manuscript volume that refers to an earlier list of documents before 1611 that are now lost. Then comes a short list for 1637-1640, followed by the calendar for 1722-1854.

The library also has an act book, 1789-1851 on film number 98916 item 9. It's mislabeled as "Surrogate Deeds". It includes marriage licenses pre-1837 that relate to areas outside of Yorkshire. One admon was also noted for John Leeming who died intestate in Salford, Lancashire, in 1806. It was granted 26 November 1825 to the widow, Mary Leeming.

Archive Location
The records for this court are held in theBorthwick Institute of Historical Research.

Family History Library Records
The original wills of this court have not been filmed. Search also the Archdeaconry of Richmond.

Jurisdiction
Middleham