Court of the Peculiar of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster (Abbey)

Return to the Essex Probate Records page.

Location of These Probate Records
Westminster City Archives Department

10 St Ann's Street

London SW1P 2DE

Website: The original records of this court are housed at the City of Westminster Archives Centre.

Historical Background
Probate records of the Peculiar Court of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster commence from 1504 to 1857. This court holds some jurisdiction over a few (approximately four) of Essex's parishes until 1540 when it passed to the Bishop of London (see this probate court). The four Essex County parishes are: Newport, Creshall (Chrishall), Good Easter (also see this peculiar court) and Maldon St Mary's. By 1828, the jurisdiction was then limited to Maldon St Mary's,(Essex), only.

Starting Your Search in Indexes
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 the "Probate Records of This Court" (below) to determine what original probate records exist for this court. 3. Contact or visit the Westminster City Archives, 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 family history centers near you.

Probate Indexes
The Peculiar Court of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster probate records is well-covered with the following indexes:

Online indexes
A general will index for Essex County is available online. This single index consolidates just about all Essex county wills of the various probate court jurisdictions into one database.

Printed Indexes
The Essex County Record Office compiled and published a complete surname index covering wills and administrations from eight Essex County probate courts including a few from this court.


 * Emmison, F. G., ed. [Index to] Wills at Chelmsford.  (FHL book 942 B4b vols. 78, 79 &amp; 84; also on microfilms 0962739 and 0962740; also on microfiche 6073796, 6073797, and 6073802.
 * A comprehensive will and admon index to London (including Greater L.) for the years covering 1750-1858, is Dr David Wright's London Probate Index on CDs and are on sale or he will perform "lookups" in his indexes for you.

Original Handwritten Indexes
Calendars to the Probate Acts of Wills and Administrations (Admons) exist from 1504-1829. Calendars are a kind of index (of the first letter of each surname) to the probate records and admons (administrations).

In addition to the calendars, a majority of the original (unregistered) wills and the registered wills are alphabetically arranged at the City Archives and are likewise organized on the microfilmed probates for this court at the Family History Library. Visit the Westmisnter City Archives Department or the Family History Library Catalog under Essex, England to determine availability of records.

Microfilmed Indexes at the Family History Library
Calendar of Wills and Admons (Administrations) are available on microfilm at the Family History Library covering the years 1504-1858 and may be circulated to each of its satellite Family History Centers (see Court of the Archdeaconry of Essex), or go to this Family History Library Catalog page

== Searching for probates in this court. ==

CALENDAR WILLS AND ADMINISTRATIONS (ADMONS) 1504-1858

ORIGINAL WILLS

1504-1829

COPY (REGISTERED) WILLS

1591-1769

REGISTERS

1504-1609, 1622-1641, 1660-667 at Westminster City Archives only

ADMINISTRATIONS

1504-1821

INVENTORIES

But few have survived

WILLS AND ADMINISTRATIONS

1504-1667

ACT BOOKS

1566-1807

Strategies, Tips, Other?
See the above general countywide index online (see "online Indexes) or those available through the Family History Library's (see "Printed Indexes) 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 "Essex Parishes Parishes and Their Probate Jurisdictions" on the main page for Essex Probate Records.