York Peculiars Probate Collection - Parishes, townships and peculiar jurisdictions

The following list gives the names of parishes and townships that came under peculiar jurisdictions. Please note, however, that the nature of peculiar jurisdictions varied greatly, and that jurisdictions could change over time. Even if a place was a peculiar it does not mean that all probate was proved in the peculiar court - much of it may well be found in the exchequer and prerogative courts. Please also note that for many of these courts, very few records survive.

Note also that the Peculiar Jurisdiction of the Chancery Court of York (which exercised jurisdiction over beneficed clergy in the diocese and over lay people during times of archiepiscopal visitations) and Vacancy jurisdiction (exercised by the Dean and Chapter of York during the periods when the diocese was without an archbishop), could cover any area of the diocese.

Parishes, townships and peculiar jurisdictions

Jurisdiction of the Archbishop

EXCHEQUER AND PREROGATIVE COURTS

The Exchequer court exercised probate jurisdiction in respect of layman and of unbeneficed clergymen who had goods solely in the diocese of York. Probate records of the exchequer court are arranged according to rural deanery.

Note that original wills for the archdeaconry of Nottingham were transferred to Nottinghamshire Record Office in 1972.

If a person had bona notabilia either in more than one jurisdiction within the diocese of York, or in more than one diocese in the northern province, probate was granted by the Prerogative court.

Note that during the vacancy of the see probate jurisdiction was exercised by the Dean and Chapter of York.

Dates: 1389-1858

CHANCERY COURT OF YORK

Jurisdiction: The probate and administration of the goods of beneficed clergy in the diocese of York and probate ratione vistationis belonged to the Chancery court or court of Audience of the archbishop.

Dates: 1535-1857

HEXHAMSHIRE PECULIAR

Jurisdiction: Hexham, Allendale, West Allen, St Peter's Allenheads, St Mary Bingfield, St John Lee, Ninebanks, St Oswald's, Whitley.

After the Restoration (1660) the probate business of this court was recorded in the act books of the Prerogative Court of York, and the original documents are filed with the Prerogative Court documents.

Jurisdiction of the Dean and Chapter of York

PROBATE RECORDS DURING VACANCIES OF THE SEE

The dean and chapter of York exercised archiepiscopal jurisdiction during vacancies of the see. There are very few surviving records before the vacancies of the 17th century. Note that vacancy wills and bonds for 1691, 1714, 1747 and 1757 are included among the records of the Exchequer Court.

Dates: 1464-1847

THE DEAN AND CHAPTER OF YORK

Jurisdiction:

Yorkshire: Aldborough, Boston Spa, Bramham, Brotherton, Burton Leonard, Burton Pidsea, Copmanthorpe, Dunsforth, Helperby, Helperthorpe, Hornby, Luttons Ambo, Upper Poppleton, Weaverthorpe, Wharram le Street; in York city: Bedern, St Andrew, St John del Pike, St John Hungate, St John Ousebridge, St Lawrence, St Martin Coney Street, St Mary Bishophill Junior, St Mary Layerthorpe, St Maurice, St Michael le Belfrey, St Nicholas, St Sampson, St Wilfrid

Nottinghamshire: Askham, East Drayton, Laneham, Misterton, Stokeham, West Stockwith Lancashire: Broughton, Kirkby Irelyth, Seathwaite

Note: A few records also survive from the time the dean and chapter exercised jurisdiction in Bubwith, Dalton on Tees, Goodmanham and Topcliffe in Yorkshire, and Treswell in Nottinghamshire.

Dates: 1383-1858

Jurisdictions of the Cathedral Dignitaries and Archdeacons

COURT OF THE DEAN OF YORK

Jurisdiction Allerston, Allerthorpe, Barmby Moor, Bielby, Ebberston, Ellerburn, Fangfoss, Givendale, Goathland, Hayton, Kilham, Kilnwick Percy, Meltonby, Millington, Newton near Pickering, Pickering, Pocklington, Thornton on Spalding Moor, Wilton, Yapham.

From the 18th century the prebendal jurisdiction of Barnby (Barmby Moor) became absorbed into that of the deanery of York, and for a short period after the restoration of Charles II in 1660, the prebendary of Givendale appears to have exercised testamentary jurisdiction in Givendale and Millington, in place of the dean.

Dates: 1510-1857

COURT OF THE PRECENTOR OF YORK WITH THE PREBENDAL JURISDICTION OF DRIFFIELD ANNEXED

Jurisdiction: Great Driffield, Little Driffield, Haxby (part), Little Ouseburn

Dates: 1557-1852

COURT OF THE CHANCELLOR OF YORK WITH THE PREBENDAL JURISDICTION OF LAUGHTON EN LE MORTHEN ANNEXED

Jurisdiction: Acklam near Malton, North and South Anston, Firbeck, Handsworth, Laughton en le Morthen, Letwell with Gildingwells, Thorpe Salvin, Throapham St John, Wales, Wawne

Dates: 1548-1858

COURT OF THE SUBDEAN OF YORK

Jurisdiction: Preston in Holderness

Dates: 1559-1837

COURT OF THE SUCCENTER OF YORK

Jurisdiction: Tunstall

Dates: 1557-1838

COURT OF THE ARCHDEACON OF YORK

Jurisdiction: Mexborough, Ravenfield

Dates: 1662-1839

COURT OF THE ARCHDEACON OF THE EAST RIDING

Jurisdiction: Mappleton

Dates: 1571-1849

Jurisdiction of the dissolved treasureship of York

Note: The treasurership was surrendered to the king on 26 May 1547; obviously some of the early wills of these three peculiars belong, strictly speaking, to the still extant jurisdiction of the treasurer of York, but for the sake of convenience they have been kept with the post-1547 records of the individual peculiar courts.

PECULIAR COURT OF ACOMB

Jurisdiction: Acomb

Dates: 1456-1837

PECULIAR COURT OF ALNE AND TOLLERTON

Jurisdiction: Alne, Skelton, Tollerton, Wigginton

Note: A probate register 1545-1553 is still in the Minster Library, York.

Dates: 1458-1856

PECULIAR COURT OF BISHOP WILTON

Jurisdiction: Bishop Wilton, Bolton near Pocklington

Dates: 1531-1842

Jurisdictions of the Prebendaries of York Minster

PREBENDAL COURT OF AMPLEFORTH

Jurisdiction: Ampleforth, Heslington

Dates: 1528-1827

PREBENDAL COURT OF APESTHORPE

Jurisdiction: Apesthorpe (Nottinghamshire)

Dates: 1557-1844

PREBENDAL COURT OF BARNBY

Jurisdiction: Barmby Moor

Note: Subsequent probate jurisdiction was exercised by the dean of York and the records are to be found under the jurisdiction of the Deanery (see above).

Dates: 1610-1729

PREBENDAL COURT OF BILTON

Jurisdiction: Bilton in Ainsty

Dates: 1591-1849

PREBENDAL COURT OF BOLE

Jurisdiction Bole (Nottinghamshire)

Dates: 1546-1847

PREBENDAL COURT OF BUGTHORPE

See Court of the precentor of York above

PREBENDAL COURT OF DUNNINGTON

Jurisdiction: Dunnington

Note: Testamentary jurisdiction was apparently not exercised by later prebendaries of Dunnington and henceforth Dunnington wills are to be located in the main Exchequer court series.

Dates: 1549-1729

PREBENDAL COURT OF FENTON

Jurisdiction: Church Fenton, Micklefield, Sherburn in Elmet

Dates: 1528-1854

PREBENDAL COURT OF FRIDAYTHORPE

Jurisdiction: Fridaythorpe

Note: Probate jurisdiction in Fridaythorpe was henceforth exercised by the prebendary of Wetwang (see below).

Dates: 1593-1730

PREBENDAL COURT OF GIVENDALE

Jurisdiction Givendale, Millington

ote: Probate jurisdiction was normally exercised by the Dean of York both before and after this period (see above).

Dates: 1661-1669

PREBENDAL COURT OF GRINDAL

Jurisdiction Grindal

Note: Probate jurisdiction was not normally exercised by later prebendaries of Grindal and henceforth Grindal wills are to be located in the main Exchequer court series.

Dates: 1623-1629

PREBENDAL COURT OF HOLME ARCHIEPISCOPI

Jurisdiction: Withernwick

Dates: 1560-1836

PREBENDAL COURT OF HUSTHWAITE

Jurisdiction: Husthwaite, Carlton Husthwaite

Dates: 1633-1842

PREBENDAL COURT OF KNARESBOROUGH

Jurisdiction: Knaresborough (part)

Note: The prebendary of Knaresborough anciently exercised probate jurisdiction over some parts of the town of Knaresborough.

Dates: 1546, 1560. Please note there are only two items in this collection.

PREBENDAL COURT OF LANGTOFT

Jurisdiction: Langtoft, Cottam, North Grimston

Dates: 1520-1845

PREBENDAL COURT OF LAUGHTON EN LE MORTHEN

see Court of the Chancellor of York above.

PREBENDAL COURT OF NORTH NEWBALD

Jurisdiction: North and South Newbald

Dates: 1496-1851

PREBENDAL COURT OF OSBALDWICK

Jurisdiction: Osbaldwick (part), Gate Helmsley, Murton (part)

Dates: 1549-1827

PREBENDAL COURT OF RICCALL

Jurisdiction: Riccall

Dates: 1549-1833

PREBENDAL COURT OF STILLINGTON

Jurisdiction: Stillington

Dates: 1515-1843

PREBENDAL COURT OF STRENSALL

Jurisdiction: Strensall, Haxby (part), Murton (part), Osbaldwick (part)

Dates: 1528-1852

PREBENDAL COURT OF TOCKERINGTON

Jurisdiction: Thockrington (Northumberland)

Dates: 1741-1744

PREBENDAL COURT OF ULLESKELF

Jurisdiction: Ulleskelf

Note: Probate jurisdiction in Ulleskelf was also exercised by the prebendary of Wetwang.

Dates: 1612-1751

PREBENDAL COURT OF WARTHILL

Jurisdiction: Warthill

Dates: 1548-1837

PREBENDAL COURT OF WEIGHTON

Jurisdiction: Market Weighton, Shiptonthorpe

Dates: 1502-1858

PREBENDAL COURT OF WETWANG

Jurisdiction: Wetwang, Elloughton, Fimber, Fridaythorpe, Kirkby Wharfe, Ulleskelf

Note: see also Prebendal Court of Fridaythorpe; Prebendal Court of Ulleskelf above.

Dates: 1559-1850

PREBENDAL COURT OF WISTOW

Jurisdiction: Wistow, Cawood, Monk Fryston

Dates: 1558-1842

Jurisdiction of dissolved prebends

PECULIAR COURT OF SOUTH CAVE

Jurisdiction: South Cave

Dates: 1558-1843

PECULIAR COURT OF SALTON

Jurisdiction: Salton

Dates: 1531-1826

PECULIAR COURT OF WADWORTH

Jurisdiction: Wadworth.

This peculiar jurisdiction was formerly part of the prebend of South Cave.

Dates: 1639-1819

Other Ecclesiastical and Lay Jurisdictions

MANORIAL COURT OF ASKHAM BRYAN

Jurisdiction: Askham Bryan

Dates: 1715-1799

MANORIAL COURT OF BARNOLDSWICK

Jurisdiction: Barnoldswick

Dates: 1660-1794 (note that these are mainly inventories)

MANORIAL COURT OF BEEFORD

Jurisdiction: Beeford

Dates: 1561-1768

PECULIAR COURT OF THE PROVOST OF THE COLLEGIATE CHURCH OF ST JOHN, BEVERLEY

Dates: 1539-1552, 1555

MANORIAL COURT OF CROSSLEY, BINGLEY, COTTINGLEY AND PUDSEY

Jurisdiction: Crossley, Bingley, Cottingley, Pudsey

Dates: 1585-1804

PECULIAR COURT OF THE DEAN AND CHAPTER (FORMERLY PRIOR AND CONVENT) OF DURHAM WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF HOWDEN AND HOWDENSHIRE

Jurisdiction: Howden, Asselby, Barlby, Barmby Marsh, Blacktoft, Brantingham, Eastrington, Ellerker, Hemingbrough, Holtby, Laxton, Skipwith, Walkington, Welton

Dates: 1521-1857

MANORIAL COURT OF LINTON ON OUSE

Jurisdiction: Linton on Ouse

Dates: 1710-1735

MANORIAL COURT OF MARSDEN

Jurisdiction: Marsden

Dates: 1655-1855

MANORIAL COURT OF NEWTON ON OUSE WITH BENINGBROUGH

Jurisdiction: Newton on Ouse, Beningbrough

Dates: 1614-1812.

PECULIAR COURT OF SELBY

Jurisdiction: Selby, Barlow, Brayton, Burn, Gateforth, Hambleton, Thorpe Willoughby

Dates: 1555-1858

MANORIAL COURT OF SILSDEN

Jurisdiction: Silsden

Dates: 1588-1809

PECULIAR COURT OF SNAITH

Jurisdiction: Snaith, Airmyn, Balne, Carlton, Cowick, Goole, Gowdall, Heck, Hensall, Hook, Ousefleet, Pollington, Rawcliffe, Reedness, Swinefleet, Whitgift

Dates: 1568-1858

MANORIAL COURT OF TEMPLE NEWSAM

Jurisdiction: Temple Newsam

Dates: 1612-1701