Court of the Bishop (Episcopal Consistory) of Chichester for the Archdeaconry of Lewes

England Sussex  Sussex Probate Records

Getting Started
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 "Records" section (see below) to determine what 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 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.

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 and Published Indexes
Manuscript indexes in The Family History Library:


 * Calendar of wills and administrations in the Archdeaconry court of Lewes in the bishopric of Chichester, etc., 1509-1660.
 * Inventories, 1656-1730; 1781-1782

Archives Location
The original records of this court are deposited at:

The East Sussex Record Office The Maltings Castle Precincts Lewes East Sussex BN7 1YT ENGLAND Tel 44-(0)1273 482349 E-Mail: [mailto:archives@eastsussexcc.gov.uk archives@eastsussexcc.gov.uk]  Website

Original Records
These include:


 * Original Wills &amp; Administrations (Admons) Early 1731
 * Registered Wills &amp; Admons 1531-1856

Family History Library Records
These have been microfilmed and are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City and through family history centers. They include:


 * Original Wills &amp; Administrations (Admons) Early 1731
 * Registered Wills &amp; Admons 1531-1856
 * Probate records, 1527-1858

Appeals Courts
Any probate that was disputed and could not be settled by the county courts could be sent to these higher appeals courts:


 * Court of Arches
 * High Court of Delegates

The Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury also served as an appeals court.

Estate Duty Records
Starting in 1796, a tax or death duty was payable on estates over a certain value. Estate duty abstracts may add considerable information not found elsewhere. Estate duty indexes may help locate a will. For more information, go to Estate Duty Records.