Kent

There are two British Record Society Publications included in this collection:

Wills & Administrations at Canterbury 1396-1558 and 1640-50 (BRS vol. 50)

Wills & Administrations at Canterbury 1558-1577 (BRS vol. 65)

Below we have include descriptions of the publications and details about where to access the original documents.

Wills & Administrations at Canterbury 1396-1558 and 1640-50

British Record Society volume 50

Published 1920

Read the Original Introduction to BRS Volume 50.

About the index

This volume is an index to wills, administrations and inventories 1396-1558 and wills, administrations, inventories, act books and nuncupative wills 1640-50 registered in the Consistory and Archdeaconry courts of the Diocese of Canterbury.

The Consistory and Archdeaconry courts intermingled and overlapped but basically covered Eastern Kent.

Locating the original documents

Where are the originals held?

The original probate documents are held at The Kent History & Library Centre. To obtain copies of an original will, admon or inventory you need to contact The Kent History & Library Centre by letter, fax or e-mail, giving full details (including source ie BRS volume number and which court etc) and references.

What information from the document do I need to locate the original?

  • Testator's name
  • Place
  • Year / date of will, inventory or admon etc
  • Volume and folio number

What does the index include?

All names and places appearing in the will plus incidental information such as occupation where found in the original documents are included in the index.

Names are arranged alphabetically. This means some name variants may not appear clustered together. Names in the index are according to the spelling used in the documents, usually based on the signaturee of the testator.

Dates are given in 'Old Style' or Julian Calendar.

The folio number identifies the group of pages, anywhere from 2 to 16, within which the will's first page appears.

Abbreviations used in the index

AbbreviationMeaning
1396-1558
A.Archdeaconry Register
C.Consistory Register
A. ActArchdeaconry Act Book
C. ActConsistory Act Book
W.Wingham
Adm.Administration
Inv.Inventory
O.COfficial Copy
1640-1650
A.Archdeaconry Will
C.Consistory Will
C.RConsistory Register
A. ActArchdeaconry Act Book
C. ActConsistory Act Book
Adm.Administration
W.A.SWill, Attestation, Sentence
I or Inv.Inventory
Nunc.Nuncupative

Wills & Administrations at Canterbury 1558-1577

British Record Society volume 65

Published 1940

Read the Original Introduction to the BRS Volume 65.

About the index

This volume is an index to wills and administrations of the Consistory and Archdeaconry courts of the Diocese of Canterbury 1558-1577. Specifically:

  • wills in the Consistory Court from 1558 to 1576, and administrations from 1558 to 1576-7
  • wills in the Archdeaconry Court from 1558 to 1577, and administrations from 1558 to 1576-7

The Consistory and Archdeaconry courts intermingled and overlapped but basically covered Eastern Kent.

Locating the original documents

Where are the originals held?

The original probate documents are held at The Kent History & Library Centre. To obtain copies of an original will, admon or inventory you need to contact The Kent History & Library Centre by letter, fax or e-mail, giving full details (including source ie BRS volume number and which court etc) and references.

What information from the document do I need to locate the original?

  • Testator's name
  • Place
  • Year / date of will, inventory or admon etc
  • Volume and folio number

What does the index include?

All names and places appearing in the will plus incidental information such as occupation where found in the original documents are included in the index.

Names are arranged alphabetically. This means some name variants may not appear clustered together. Names in the index are according to the spelling used in the documents, usually based on the signaturee of the testator.

Dates are given in 'Old Style' or Julian Calendar.

The folio number identifies the group of pages, anywhere from 2 to 16, within which the will's first page appears.

Abbreviations used in the index

AbbreviationMeaning
A.Archdeaconry Register
C.Consistory Register
A. ActArchdeaconry Act Book
C. ActConsistory Act Book
W.Wingham
Adm.Administration
Inv.Inventory
O.COfficial Copy