Court of the Peculiar of Craike

England Yorkshire  Yorkshire Probate Courts

To read a general explanation of probates in England, click here.

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 "Records" (below) to determine what 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.

Printed and Published Indexes

 * Personal names in wills proved at Durham, by by G. Nicholson and J.A. Readdie. Three volumes, 1787-1803.
 * Index and abstracts to Durham wills, 1540-1590, for Newcastle upon Tyne including the Peculiar of Craike.
 * Wills and administrations of York Peculiar, Prebendial and Manorial Courts, 1559-1858

Archive Location
Before 1837, the records are in the Durham University Library, Special Collections. After 1837, they were transferred to the Archdeaconry of Cleveland and the records are in the Borthwick Institutein York.

Archive Records
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Family History Library Records
The Family History Library has the following records. Films can be view in the library or in a family history center.


 * Wills, administrations and indexes, 1526-1858 for the Episcopal Consistory Court with the Peculiar of Craike in the Diocese of Durham.
 * Act books, administration bonds, inventories, etc., 1571-1853for the Palatine and Episcopal Consistory Court with the Peculiar of Craike in the Diocese of Durham.

Jurisdiction
Craike (also spelled Crayke) in the North Riding of Yorkshire was in the diocese of Durham until 1837 when it was transferred to the Archdeaconry of Cleveland in the diocese of York and freed from peculiar jurisdiction. Never inhibited.