Court of the Peculiar of the Bishop of Durham and the Dean and Chapter of Allerton and Allertonshire

England Yorkshire  Yorkshire Probate Courts

To read a general explanation of probates in England, click here.

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 Archive Records below to determine what original 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.
 * Order microfilm copies of the indexes and records listed in the Family History Library Records (see section below) by visiting the Family History Library or one of its family history centers and search indexes and records.

Indexes
Indexes for 54 peculiar courts, 1383-1883, are available online on British Origins. This is a subscription site.

A filmed calendar to wills and admons, 1666-1845, is available in the Family History Library.

Archive Location
Records are housed in the Borthwick Institutein York.

Family History Library Records
The Family History Library has film copies of the following records. Films can be viewed in the library or in a family history center.


 * Wills and admons. 1666-1739; wills, admons and bonds 1845, 1710-1838

Jurisdiction
Allerton is a Durham peculiar situated entirely within the geographic boundaries of Yorkshire. Its juridiction was Northallerton and the chapelries of Deighton, Brompton and Worsall, with Kirkby Sigston and West Rounton in the North Riding of Yorkshire. It was inhibited 6-8 months in 3 years at the visitation of the Archbishop of York. Before 1666, wills were proved in the Consistory Court of Durham.