Court of the Bishop of Chester (Episcopal Consistory)

A general explanation of probate records in England, is given in the article England Probate Records.

Description
Probate is the legal court process by which the estate of a deceased person is distributed to his or her heirs. The term probate refers to a collection of documents, including wills, administrations (also called admons), inventories, and act books. The Church of England ecclesiastical courts had authority for this process until to 1858.

Step By Step
1. Search indexes to help you more quickly find the will, writing down each detail given in the index.

2. Go to the "Records" below to determine what probate records exist for this court.

3. Obtain the records to search. Use one of these methods to find indexes and records:


 * Contact or visit the Archive (see below) or hire a professional record searcher to view these records on your behalf.

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 then to the "Records" section (see below) to determine what probate records exist for this court.

3. Contact or visit the Lancashire Record Office to hire a professional record searcher to view these records on your behalf, citing information obtained from the index[es]. Officials may send upon request a list of record searchers.

4. You can also visit The FamilySearch Library, or, one of its 4,500 satellite family history centers worldwide and search indexes (see the FamilySearch Library's providing the microfilms so you can have them circulated to the center near you for searching the wills). The information obtained from the index[es] will help you more quickly search the wills and admons which can also be circulated on microfilm via any family history.

Indexes
Surviving wills and admons to the Court of the Bishop of Chester (Episcopal Consistory) probate records have to a very considerable extent been indexed with the following ones:

Online Indexes
Most of the wills in the Court of the Bishop of Chester which include many Lancashire wills, have been indexed and are now available. This index contains the names of the deceased as well the placename at the time of the will or admon probate action. When the will or admon has been found via the index, a scanned copy of the will may also be purchased for £3 per copy made, at this website.

Part of Lancashire south of the River Ribble is in the diocese of Chester. The following online index for pre-1859 probate can help in searches for people proved in all the probate courts that cover Lancashire. Lancashire probate records in the diocese of Chester. Try this online index!

The Lancashire and Cheshire Society has published extensive will and administration indexes for the two counties' probate records (see below, under Printed and Published Indexes), many of which are now available online.

Printed and Published Indexes
Original will indexes 1545-1858 are available in print by both the Lancashire &amp; Cheshire Record Society and the Chetham Society. These two voluminous series contain numerous and extensive indexes to the records of wills and administrations for this major probate court jurisdiction for Lancashire. These volume series are often available at many major archives in the United Kingdom such as at the British Library, and Guildhall Library, London, and other like institutions. The FamilySearch Library likewise has most all of the volume of indexes in this series are available in book form and on microfilm (the last three volumes below are available in book form only) as follows:

The Lancashire &amp; Cheshire Record Society--

The following volumes of indexes to wills have been published in the Lancashire and Cheshire Record Society (hyper-links indicate, online accessibility):

Volume 2: 1545-1620

Volume 4: 1621-1650

Volume 15: 1660-1680

Volume 18: 1681-1700

Volume 20: 1701-1720

Volume 22: 1721-1740

Volume 25: 1741-1760

Volume 37: 1761-1780

Volume 38: 1761-1780

Volume 44: 1781-1790

Volume 45: 1791-1800

Volume 62: 1801-1810 - full text search

Volume 63: 1801-1810 - full text search

Volume 78: 1811-1820 - search by surname only

Volume 79: 1811-1820 - search by surname only

Volume 107: 1821-1825 - search by surname only

Volume 113: 1826-1830 - search by surname only

Volume 118: 1831-1833 - search by surname only

Volume 120: 1834-1837 - search by surname only

Also: Record Society of Lancashire and Cheshire

Vol 4: Wills and Administrations for Lancashire and Cheshire, 1621-1700

Abstracts of Wills not found in any Probate Registry 1301-1752; also on FS Library film #165699

Vol. 33: Probates formerly found in diocesan office registry, 1487-1620

Vol. 43: Probates formerly found in diocesan office registry, 1621-1700

Vol. 52: Probates formerly found in diocesan office registry, 1701-1800

Vol. 52: Infra (Inferior court) Wills 1590-1665

Vol. 63: Wills and Administrations (Admons) for the years 1670 and 1693

The Chetham Society--

[FS Library film #569191 Lancashire and Cheshire wills and inventories, 1563 to 1807, now preserved at Chester

Volume 3 Lancashire and Cheshire wills and inventories at Chester: with an appendix of abstracts of wills now lost or destroyed

Volume 33: List of Miscellaneous wills 1487-1800

Volume 51: List of Miscellaneous wills 1487-1800

Volume 54: List of Miscellaneous wills 1487-1800

Original Handwritten Indexes

to Supra wills 1816-1858 and Infra wills from 1819-1858.

Microfilmed Indexes at the FamilySearch Library

The indexes as listed in the above are also covering the years 1541-1858 at The FamilySearch Library and they are on microfilm and may be circulated to each of its satellite family history centers worldwide.   


 * Volume 2: 1545-1620 - on FS Library film #823501; also FS Library book call #942.7 B4Lc v. 2
 * Volume 4: 1621-1650 - on FS Library film #823502; also FS Library book call #942.7 B4Lc v. 4
 * Volume 15: 1660-1680 - on FS Library film #82354; also FS Library book call #942.7 B4Lc v. 15
 * Volume 18: 1681-1700 - on FS Library film #823505; also FS Library book call #942.7 B4Lc v. 18
 * Volume 20: 1701-1720 - on FS Library film #823505; also FS Library book call #942.7 B4Lc v. 20
 * Volume 22: 1721-1740 - on FS Library film #823506; also FS Library book call #942.7 B4Lc v. 22
 * Volume 25: 1741-1760 - on FS Library film #823506; also FS Library book call #942.7 B4Lc v. 25
 * Volume 37: 1761-1780 (A-M) - on FS Library film #823509; also FS Library book call #942.7 B4Lc v. 37
 * Volume 38: 1761-1780 (N-Z) - on FS Library film #823509; also FS Library book call #942.7 B4Lc v. 38
 * Volume 44: 1781-1790 - on FS Library film #823511; also FS Library book call #942.7 B4Lc v. 44
 * Volume 45: 1791-1800 - on FS Library film #823511; also FS Library book call #942.7 B4Lc v. 45
 * Volume 62: 1801-1810 (A-L) - on FS Library film #823515; also FS Library book call #942.7 B4Lc v. 62
 * Volume 63: 1801-1810 (M-Z) - on FS Library film #823515; also FS Library book call #942.7 B4Lc v. 63
 * Volume 78: 1811-1820 (A-L) - on FS Library film #823519; also FS Library book call #942.7 B4Lc v. 78
 * Volume 79: 1811-1820 (M-Z) - on FS Library film #823519; also FS Library book call #942.7 B4Lc v.79
 * Volume 107: 1821-1825 - on FS Library film #823525; also FS Library book call #942.7 B4Lc v. 107
 * Volume 113: 1826-1830 - in FS Library book call no. 942.7 B4Lc v. 113 only
 * Volume 118: 1831-1833 - in FS Library book call no. 942.7 B4Lc v. 118 only
 * Volume 120: 1834-1837 - in FS Library book call no. 942.7 B4Lc v. 120 only

Also:


 * Volume 2: Index of Enrollment Book Wills 1512-1635
 * Volume 4: Wills and Administrations for Lancashire and Cheshire during Interrugnum, 1650-1660
 * Abstracts of Wills not found in any Probate Registry 1301-1752
 * Volume 33: Probates formerly found in diocesan office registry, 1487-1620
 * Volume 43: Probates formerly found in diocesan office registry, 1621-1700
 * Volume 52: Probates formerly found in diocesan office registry, 1701-1800
 * Volume 52: Infra (Inferior court) Wills 1590-1665
 * Volume 63: Wills and Administrations (Admons) for the years 1670 and 1693

The Chetham Society--


 * Lancashire and Cheshire wills and inventories, 1563 to 1807, now preserved at Chester
 * Lancashire and Cheshire wills and inventories at Chester : with an appendix of abstracts of wills now lost or destroyed
 * Lancashire and Cheshire wills and inventories from the Ecclesiastical Court, Chester

Archives Location
Lancashire Record Office

Bow Lane

PRESTON

Lancashire PR1 2RE UK

United Kingdom

Tel: +44(0)1772 533039

Fax: +44(0) 1772 533050

Email: record.office@ed.lancscc.gov.uk

Archive Records

 * Act Books - Supra 1596-1858
 * Act Books - Infra 1660-1858
 * Abstracts of Wills no Longer in Existence 1354-1700Account Books 1701-1826
 * Caveats 1587-1602
 * Original Wills, Administrations (Admons) (Supra Infra Wills) 1492-1858
 * Register Copy Wills 1838-1858
 * Supra Original &amp; Registered Wills 1815-1858
 * Infra &amp; Supra Wills (Mixed) 1821-1827
 * Infra Wills 1693; 1819-1858
 * Infra Original Wills 1590-1858
 * Miscellaneous Infra Wills 1791-1855
 * Micellaneous Supra Wills 1696-1839
 * Wills Related Documents in Lancashire Testamentary Suits 1545-1800
 * Wills, Inventories, Other Documents 1425-1800
 * Limited Admons (Administrations) 1824-1857
 * Probate Admon Acts 1582-1592
 * Probate Fee Books 1723-1782
 * Will Books 1831-1876; 1924-1939
 * Wills Transcripts 1301-1746

FamilySearch Library Records

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Appeals Courts
Any probate that was disputed and could not be settled by the county courts could be sent to these higher appeals courts:


 * Court of Arches
 * High Court of Delegates
 * Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury

Estate Duty Records
Starting in 1796, a tax or death duty was payable on estates over a certain value. Estate duty abstracts may add considerable information not found elsewhere. Estate duty indexes may help locate a will. For more information, go to Estate Duty Records.

Jurisdiction
The whole of the county of Cheshire lay in the Diocese of Chester. The Court of the Bishop of Chester (Episcopal Consistory) held jurisdiction over all parishes in the county.

When a search of this courts’ probate records fails to provide the desired probate record, be sure to search the Prerogative Court of the Exchequer of the Archbishop of York as well.