Court of the Peculiar of the Dean and Canons of Windsor in Wantage

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. This article explains about probates and how to get started to search for a will.

Beginning in 1858, authority over probate matters was taken from ecclesiastical courts and put under the civil authority of the Principal Probate Registry.

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 to "Records" (below) to determine what probate records exist for this court. Also see "FamilySearch Library Records." 3. Contact or visit Wiltshire and Swindon Archives and History Centre or hire a professional record searcher to view these records on your behalf. Officials may send a list of record searchers upon request. 4. Visit The FamilySearch Library or one of its 4,500 satellite family history centers worldwide and search indexes to probate records; then with the information obtained from the index[es] you can search more quickly the original wills and admons also on microfilm via any centers near you.

Online Indexes
The Wiltshire and Swindon Archives is in the process of digitizing all of the wills in its collection and making them searchable online. For more information, so to their website.

Printed and Published Indexes
Indexes are included with the original and microfilmed records as listed above.

Archive Location
The original records are deposited at the Wiltshire and Swindon Archives and History Centre in Chippenham.

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

Original wills, administrations and inventories, 1669-1840

Earlier records for 1582-1668 are deposited at the Oxfordshire Record Office in Oxford.

Jurisdiction
This court had jurisdiction over the following parishes:


 * Hungerford, West Ilsley, and Wantage in Berkshire.
 * Ogbourne St. Andrew, Ogbourne St. George, and Shalbourne in Wiltshire.

The court was inhibited triennially by the Dean of Salisbury.