England, Durham Diocese, Allertonshire Peculiar Administration Bonds and Inventories - FamilySearch Historical Records

England Durham

What is in the Collection?
This collection will include images from 1670-1808, including a series of original administration bonds and inventories relating to people whose property was situated in the Dean and Chapter of Durham's ecclesiastical peculiar of Allerton and Allertonshire in Yorkshire. This was made up of the parishes and Chapels of Brampton, Deighton, High Worsall, Kirby Sigston, Northallerton and West Rounton.

These records are linked to an index on Durham University's website: North East Inheritance database (pre-1858 Durham Probate Records)

Durham is in the North East section of England and is bordered by Northumberland, Cumbria and North Yorkshire. The name "Durham" comes from the Old English "dun", meaning hill, and the Old Norse "holme", which translates to island.

A peculiar is a parish that is administered by a diocese other than the one where it is actually located. It is released from the jurisdiction of the bishop in whose diocese it lies and is governed by another. In this case, it is several parishes administered by the ecclesiastical authority of the Bishop of Durham. Inventories include a list of personal belongings and assets. Bonds are loans. A person will loan their money to a company, a city, or the government with the promise to be paid back in full.

Sample Images


Bonds usually include:


 * Surname and Given Name of the Participant
 * Age of Participant
 * Gender of Participant
 * Current Residence and Previous Residences
 * Current Occupation



Inventories usually include:


 * Name of property owner
 * Address or residence
 * A list of personal assets

How Do I Search the Collection?
As you are searching it is helpful to know such information as your ancestor's given name and surname, some identifying information such as residence, age, and family relationships. Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.

To search by image:

To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒ Select the "Durham University Library Reference Number" category which takes you to the images.

Search the collection by image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * Titles may be clues to property ownership, occupations, rank, or status within the community.
 * Continue to search the index and records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives.
 * Be aware that, as with any index, transcription errors may occur.

What if I Can't Find Who I'm Looking For?

 * Check for variant spellings of the names.
 * Search the records of nearby parishes (Brampton, Deighton, High Worsall, Kirby Sigston, Northallerton and West Rounton).

Citing this Collection
Citing your sources makes it easy for others to find and evaluate the records you used. When you copy information from a record, list where you found that information. Here you can find citations already created for the entire collection and for each individual record or image.

Collection Citation:

Image Citation: