Courts of the Bishop (Episcopal Consistory) and Archdeaconry of Rochester

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 Centre for Kentish Studies or, hire a professional record searcher to view these records on your behalf. Officials may send upon request a list of record searchers.

4. The indexes and original records have been digitized and are available at a FamilySearch centre or a FamilySearch affiliate library near you.

Printed and Published Indexes
Indexes are usually included with the records as listed below. In addition, the following are available at the FS Library:


 * (also available at the Centre for Kentish Studies)
 * wills and administrations for all courts and peculiars in the Diocese of Rochester 1750-1858 (on CD, available from the compiler, David Wright)

Archive Location
The records for this court are deposited at the Centre for Kentish Studies in Maidstone. These include:

Consistory Court--


 * Original wills 1498-1857 (with some gaps before 1713)
 * Aministration bonds, 1666-1858 (also for the Archdeaconry Court)
 * Inventories, 1687-1784
 * Register Copy wills, 1440-1857 (with some gaps before 1660, especially for the Commonwealth period)
 * Probate &amp; administration act books, 1437-1858 (with gaps, especially before 1678)

Archdeaconry Court--


 * Original wills, 1638-1857 ( with large gaps, especially before 1713)
 * Register copy wills, 1635-1857 (with gaps, especially before 1704)
 * Act books, 1635-1857 (with gaps)
 * Inventories, 1719-1782

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

FamilySearch Library Records
Records have been microfilmed and are available at the FamilySearch Library (FS Library) in Salt Lake City, Utah, and through FamilySearch centers world-wide. They include (with some duplication):


 * (Archdeaconry of Rochester. Episcopal Consistory Court)
 * (Archdeaconry of Rochester. Episcopal Consistory Court)
 * (Consistory Court)
 * (Consistory Court)

Familysearch.org Records of Images 1450-1857
These images are original records of probate, but also include:

Account papers Administration bonds Caveats Guardian registers Inventories Miscellaneous court papers Miscellaneous court papers index Renunciation papers Wills

Jurisdiction
In 1846 the diocese of Rochester was reduced in area. Some parishes were transferred to the diocese of Canterbury and others to the diocese of London.

These combined courts had primary jurisdiction over many parishes in the western half of the county of Kent. See the parish jurisdiction lists for specifics.

These courts also had secondary jurisdiction over the parish of Islesham in Cambridgeshire (and should be searched only after the Court of the Peculiar of Islesham and the Court of the Bishop of Norwich).