Court of the Peculiar of Withington

England Gloucestershire  Gloucestershire Probate Records

Jurisdiction
This court had jurisdiction solely over the parish of Withington and the chapelry of Dowdeswell. It was under the superior authority of the Court of the Bishop of Worcester until 1541 when the Diocese of Gloucester was formed and it was transfered to the authority of the Court of the Bishop of Gloucester.

The jurisdiction of the peculiars was a source of constant friction between bishops and rectors. Wills of some residents in the peculiars were proved at Gloucester even while the peculiar registries were active. Between 1622 and 1776, 97 wills of persons from Withington and area villages were proven in the Court of the Peculiar of Withington while 126 wills were proven at Gloucester. Between the years 1743 and 1752, only three wills were proven at Withington. A new bishop was enthroned at Gloucester in 1752 and the Withington records ceased at that time with the exception of a couple of wills dated 1776.

Records
The original records are deposited at the Gloucestershire Archives. They include:


 * Original wills, 1624-1752
 * Registered wills, 1715-1748
 * Registered acts and administrations, 1622-1776

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


 * Original wills and administrations, 1622-1776

Indexes

 * Withington Wills (an alphabetical list of the 97 wills proven in the peculiar court)
 * A list of the wills proven at Withington, naming the executors and giving relationships, is included in an article on the "Withington Peculiar" by F. S. Hockaday, published in Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society, vol. XL, 1917. (FHL book 942.41 C4bg, vol. 40, pages 89-113; also on microfilm #1426055.)

Steps

 * Look in the index to the Court of the Peculiar of Withington by clicking on the link above.
 * If you find reference to a will of interest to you, obtain a copy either by writing to England or by viewing it on microfilm at the Family History Library or through a family history center.
 * If no reference of interest is found, search the records of the Court of the Bishop of Gloucester. If you are looking for a will after 1776, you should also check the Bishop's court.