Court of the Dean and Chapter of Lichfield

Return to the Staffordshire Probate Records page.

Step By Step
1. First search each index (see below) to help you more quickly find the will or administration (admon), writing down each detail cited in the indexed entry. 2. Proceed to the "Probate Records in This Archive" (below) to determine what original probate records exist for this court. 3. Contact or visit the Essex County Record Office or, hire a professional record searcher to view these records on your behalf. Officials may send upon request a list of record searchers. 4. Visit The Family History 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.

Probate Indexes
Surviving wills and admons to the Court of the Dean and Chapter of Lichfield have to some extent been indexed with the following ones:

Printed and Published Indexes
A partial index for the years 1529-1652 was published in the Index Library, vol. 7.

Online Indexes
Here is an online printed (scanned images) from 1516-1652. This is not a complete listing of all wills for this time period, but, it might be helpful for searching this date range.

Original Handwritten Indexes
There is an index (manuscript) from 1516 to 1857 covering most if not all wills in Staffordshire that includes both the Consistory Court of Lichfield and this smaller court.

Microfilmed Indexes at the Family History Library
The indexes as listed in the above are also available in the collection of The Family History Library and they are on microfilm and may be circulated to each of its satellite Family History Centers worldwide.

In addition, the Family History Library has a more comprehensive microfilmed set of Calendars of probate records which partially indexes the surnames (by first letter of surname only) available for the years from 1492 to 1860.

Amazingly, the Lichfield Archives has alphabetically arranged many of the diocesan wills by each letter of each surname as well (see the next section below).

Archives Location
Lichfield Record Office (formerly Lichfield Joint Record Office)

The Friary

Lichfield Staffs WS13 6QG

Telephone: U.K. 01543 510720 Overseas (+44) 1543 510720

Probate Records In This Archive
Original Wills 1510-1858

Inventories ("for Lichfield and District") 1568-1680

Probate Records of This Court In The Fmaily History Library
Original Wills 1510-1858

Inventories ("for Lichfield and District") 1568-1680

Historical Background
Return to the Staffordshire Probate Records page.

The Court of the Dean and Chapter of Lichfield held peculiar jurisdiction over the Staffordshire parishes of Cannock, Farewell, Harborne, The Close Lichfield, Regeley and Smethwick, and over the Warwickshire parishes of Arley and Edgbaston, and the Prebends in their absence. When a search of this courts’ probate records fails to provide the desired probate record, be sure to search the Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury as well.

Strategies, Tips, Other?
See the above Indexes or those available through the Family History Library or its many family history centers worldwide for an index to this court.

To view a list of parishes and their respective probate court jurisdiction, see the "Staffordshire Parishes and Their Probate Jurisdictions" on the main page for Staffordshire Probate Records.

[England: Staffordshire]