Court of the Peculiar of the Dean of Chichester

Return to the Sussex Probate Records page.

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 the "Probate Records Held in This Archive" (below) to determine what original probate records exist for this court. 3. Contact or visit the Hampshire Record Office or, hire a professional record searcher to view these records on your behalf. Officials may send upon request a list of record searchers. 4. You can 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 centers near you.

Indexes
The probate collection includes a Calendars and indexes to wills, administrations and inventories. A calendar is an index arranged first alphabetically by the beginning letter of a testator's surname and second by date.

Online Indexes
This is a website for which you may request a search to be made.

Printed &amp; Manuscript Indexes
The Index Library volumes 49 and 64 are indexes to this courts' probates from 1479-1684

Calendars from 1511-1857 at The Society of Genealogists, London

Microfilmed Indexes at the Family History Library
The indexes as listed in the above are also available in the collection of The Family History Library and they are on microfilm and may be circulated to each of its satellite Family History Centers worldwide.

Here are a series of "Indexes" at The Family History Library:

Index to Probate Accounts 1572-1711

Index to West Sussex probate records, 1483-1858

Index to the Court Diary of the Dean of Chichester Peculiar 1626-1667

Calendar of Wills and Administrations (years not given)

Calendar of bonds for the grant of letters of administration 1675-1689, 1770-1780

Archives Location
The original records are deposited at:

West Sussex County Council

County Hall

West Street

Chichester

West Sussex PO19 1RQ

ENGLAND

Tel 44-(0)1243 777100

Probate Records of This Court Held in This Archive
Original Wills 1561-1857

Registered Wills 1554-1857

Administration Bonds 1584-1857

Probate &amp; Administration Act Books &amp; Diaries 1578-1857

Caveats 1748-1784

Inventories, Accounts, etc 1594-1739

Probate Records of This Court In The Family History Library
Original Wills 1704-1857

Probate diaries 1577-1862; 1568-1907

Registered &amp; Original Wills 1553-1857; also see 1520-1858

Caveats 1748-1784

Bonds Box 1590-1744; 1579-1689

Probate Records 1684-1780

Calendar of Bonds for Letters of Administration 1675-1689; 1770-1780

Calendar Administrations (no years given)

Jurisdiction
This peculiar court held concurrent jurisdiction over the following West Sussex parishes:


 * Chichester St Andrew
 * Chichester St Bartholomew
 * Chichester St Martin
 * Chichester St Olave
 * Chichester St Peter the Great
 * Chichester St Peter the Less
 * Chichester St Pancras
 * New Fishbourne
 * Rumboldswyke