Court of the Peculiar of Stratford-upon-Avon

Return to the Warwickshire 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 then to the "Probate Records In This Archive" section (see below) to determine what original probate records exist for this court.

3. Contact or visit the Lichfield Record Office (see address below), to hire a professional record searcher to view these records on your behalf, citing information obtained from the indexes (see next heading). Officials may send upon request a list of record searchers.

4. You can also visit The Family History Library, or, one of its 4,500 satellite family history centers worldwide and search indexes and wills (see the Family History Library's cataloged entries providing the microfilm numbers 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.

Probate Indexes
The surviving wills and admons of the Peculiar Court of the Prebendal of Hampton-Lucy Parish have to some extent been indexed with the following ones:

Printed and Published Indexes
The British Record Society's Index Library published a calendar for earlier years up to 1790 in volume 7, which may be accessed at many major archives in the United Kingdom, such as The National Archives, The British Library, etc.

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.

The Family History Library has the following index to this courts' probate records:

Index to Wills 1685-1773

Index to Wills covering 1718-1773

Archives Location
The original records are deposited at:

The Shakespeare Centre Library and Archive Henley Street

Stratford-upon-Avon Warwickshire CV37 6QW England Telephone: U.K. 01789 201816 Overseas: (+44) 1789 201816

Fax:  (+44) (0)1789 296083 E-mail: [mailto:library@shakespeare.org.uk library@shakespeare.org.uk] or [mailto:records@shakespeare.ork.uk records@shakespeare.ork.uk]

Obtaining a copy of a probate record:

You may visit the Shakespeare Centre via contacting by--

Tel. (+44) (0)1789 201824

Fax: (+44) (0)1789 263248

E-mail: [mailto:conferences@shalespeare.org.uk conferences@shakespeare.org.uk]

Probate Records Held In This Archive
Original Wills &amp; Admons &amp; Inventories 1678-1795

Calendars 1678-1795

Or you can write to learn if they provide a research service and request a copy of a probate record (include an index reference in your request).

Probate Records of This Court In The Family History Library
Original Wills &amp; Admons &amp; Inventories 1678-1773

Registered Wills 1658-1699

Original Wills 1557-1849

Inventories 1557-1727

The records have been microfilmed and are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City and through one of the more than 4,500 family history centers worldwide. You may visit the Family History Library and search the records on microfilm, or visit a family history center where you can order the films and search them there.

Historical Background
The Court of the Peculiar of Hampton-Lucy held concurrent jurisdiction over the following Warwickshire parishes: Alveston and its chapelry--Chilcote, and Wasperton Parish. When a search of this courts’ probate records fails to provide the desired probate record, be sure to search the Consistory Court of Lichfield as well as the Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Strategies, Tips, Other?
During the Commonwealth Interregnum from 1653 to 1660, the Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury, in the form of a civil court, had sole probate or testmentary jurisdiction over all of England and Wales.

See the above Indexes or those available through the Family History Library or its many family history centers worldwide for an index to this court.

To view a list of parishes and their respective probate court jurisdictions, see the "Warwickshire Parishes and Their Probate Jurisdictions" on the main page for Warwickshire Probate Records.

When a search of this court's 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.