Court of the Prior and Chapter of Christ Church, Canterbury

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 Cathedral Library Archives at The Precincts, Canterbury, Kent 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 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.

Printed and Published Indexes
Sede vacante wills : a calendar of wills proved before the commissary of the prior and chapter of Christ Church, Canterbury, during vacancies in the primacy, with an appendix containing transcripts of archiepiscopal and other wills Probate covers 997-1559. The date and 997 is listed in brackets in this book. c. 1278-1559, including about 930 wills and a few administrations 1500-1 &amp; 1503, and about 60 administrations from the diocese of Norwich 1500. The wills in the 1500-1 vacancy are also indexed in an Appendix to the 8th report of the Historical Manuscripts Commision p. 332, and most were also registered in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury.

Archive Location
Contact details for the Cathedral Library: Canterbury Cathedral Library The Precincts Canterbury Kent CT1 2EH

Tel: +44 (0)1227 865287

Fax: +44 (0)1227 865222

E-mail: archives@canterbury-cathedral.org

Archive Records
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FamilySearch Library Records
Sede vacante wills : a calendar of wills proved before the commissary of the prior and chapter of Christ Church, Canterbury, during vacancies in the primacy, with an appendix containing transcripts of archiepiscopal and other wills

Jurisdictions
The Probate jurisdiction of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury reverted to the Prior and Chapter (subsequently Dean and Chapter) of Christ Church, Canterbury, during vacancies in the Primary. See and during vacancies in the suffragan sees when these coincided with vacancies in the Primary See. The following records result mainly from the vacancies after which coincided with vacancies at St Asaph, Chichester, Ely, Norwich, and Lichfield. See note in The Genealogist, vol 6, p.48.