DHCreated as a
Millennium Project
Millennium Project
By Jon Malings
Deddington Wills in the National Archives, Kew
Until 12 January 1858 all Wills in England and Wales had to be proved by the church and other courts. The country was divided into two provinces - York and Canterbury – both then split into a number of dioceses, each with at least two bishops. The dioceses were in turn divided into several archdeaconries. These provinces, dioceses and archdeaconries each had their own church court for dealing with matters like the proving of wills.
The Prerogative Court of Canterbury (PCC) was the most important of these courts, dealing with relatively wealthy individuals living mainly in the south of England and most of Wales. The Prerogative Courts of York covered York, Durham, Northumberland, Westmoreland, Cumberland, Lancashire, Cheshire, Nottinghamshire and the Isle of Man.
Wills were normally proved at the PCC if the deceased’s goods and property were held in more than one diocese in its jurisdiction, otherwise the local Bishop’s or Archdeacon’s Court would handle it.
The National Archives in Kew holds a large number of wills proved in the PCC before 1858 including more than 100 written by people from Deddington.
These are all registered copy Wills, meaning they are copies of original probates written into volumes, by clerks at the church courts. The Wills are not transcribed but you can purchase and download image copies of these original probates from the National Archives at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk.
The following index lists the Wills of Deddington people held at the National Archives which have not yet been transcribed. Each record shows:
Surname
First Name
Personal description (if any)
The year the will was proved
The National Archives ref number. Items starting “IR” are taken from the Death Duty register.
The cost of downloading a complete Will image from the National Archives is currently £10.00 (December 2018). Its website can be found here
ALLEN, John, 1825, PROB 11/1706,
APPLETREE, Anthony, Yeoman, 1578, PROB 11/60
APPLETREE, Thomas, 1666, PROB 11/321
APLETREE, Thomas, Gentleman, 1692, PROB 11/412
APLETREE or APPLETREE, William, Gentleman, 1692, PROB 11/412
APLETREE, Mary, Widow, 1795, PROB 11/1257
APLETREE, William, Gentleman, 1820, PROB 11/1633
ARIS, Hercules, Yeoman, 1650, PROB 11/213
ARVE, James, Woollen Draper, 1620, PROB 11/135
AUSTIN, Thomas, Farmer, 1858, PROB 11/2263
BADCOCK, Richard, Farmer of Clifton, 1814, PROB 11/1561
BARBIER, John Petre or John Pere or John Peter, Gentleman, 1771, PROB 11/972
BARTLETT, Thomas Eagles, Mercer, 1827, PROB 11/1725
BELCHER, Martha, Spinster of Clifton, 1829, PROB 11/1755
BELCHIER, Samuel, 1689, PROB 11/395,
BENHAM, Thomas, Yeoman of Clifton, 1788, PROB 11/1167
BENNETT, Elizabeth, Widow, 1684, PROB 11/376
BENNETT, John, Plushweaver, 1807, IR 26/399
BENNETT, William, Victualler, 1809, PROB 11/1497
BENNETT, Thomas, Baker, 1844, PROB 11/2003
BISHOP, Matthew, Lieutenant, 1766, PROB 11/919
BLOXHAM, William, Yeoman, 1838, PROB 11/1901
BOND, Anne, Widow, 1655, PROB 11/250
BROWN, Alfred, Yeoman of Clifton, 1845, PROB 11/2015
BRUDENELL, William, Clerk, 1641, PROB 11/187
BUTCHER, John, Plumber and Glazier, 1813, PROB 11/1549
CASEY, John, Yeoman of Clifton, 1799, PROB 11/1317
CHURCHHILL, Thomas, Yeoman, 1660, PROB 11/300
CHURCHILL, Thomas, Yeoman, 1774, PROB 11/1003
CHURCHILL, Henry, Grocer, 1812, PROB 11/1531
CHURCHILL, Joseph, Grocer, 1822, PROB 11/1662
COLES, Job, Yeoman, 1797, PROB 11/1293
COLES, Mary, Widow, 1809, PROB 11/1494
COLES, William, Butcher, 1810, PROB 11/1515
COLES, John, Mealman of Clifton, 1840, PROB 11/1936
CONEY, John, of Clifton, 1654, PROB 11/241
COUNCER, John, Mercer, 1689, PROB 11/395
COUNCER, Jeremiah, Mercer, 1690, PROB 11/399
CRANFELAT, Francis William Augustus, of Clifton, 1808, PROB 11/1475
CURTIS, Thomas, Gentleman, 1813, PROB 11/1549
DAVIES or DAVYES, John, 1605, PROB 11/105,
DAVIS, Cue, Yeoman, 1788, PROB 11/1171
DEAN, Henry, Yeoman, 1844, PROB 11/1994
DEAN, Thomas, Farmer, 1853, PROB 11/2178
DEANE, Henry, Yeoman of Clifton, 1613, PROB 11/121
DOLLEY, Hester, Widow, 1800, PROB 11/1338
DUNCOMBE or DUNCUMBE, John, 1647, PROB 11/1199
EAST, Thomas, 1806, IR 26/399
EAST, William, Yeoman, 1815, PROB 11/1571
EDMUNDS, John, 1557, PROB 11/39,
FARDON, John, Watchmaker, 1820, PROB 11/1634
FIDKIN, Thomas, 1829, PROB 11/1751,
FINCHER, John, Blacksmith, 1856, PROB 11/2232
FREEMAN, Mary, 1855, PROB 11/2219,
FRENCH, Edmund, Gentleman, 1832, PROB 11/1799
GEORGE, Thomas, Maltster, 1806, IR 26/398
GILKS, Elizabeth, Widow, 1656, PROB 11/259
GLANDVILL or GLANVILL, Edward, Carpenter of Clifton, 1803, PROB 11/1397
GRIFFIN, John, Surgeon, 1809, PROB 11/1497
HALL, Dorothy, Widow, 617, PROB 11/130
HALL, Reverend Hugh White, Clerk, 1851, PROB 11/2137
HALL or REEVES, Anne or Ann, Widow, 1856, PROB 11/2240
HARRIS, John, Gentleman, 1829, PROB 11/1751
HARRIS, John, Farmer, 1850, PROB 11/2122
HENCHMAN, Reverend John, Clerk (Vicar), 1790, PROB 11/1193
HIGGINS, John, Gentleman, 1641, PROB 11/186
HIGGINS or HIGGENS, Thomas, Gentleman, 1661, PROB 11/306
HILL, Richard, Yeoman of Clifton, 1811, IR 26/399
HILL, Hester, Widow, 1840, PROB 11/1933
HOLLIER, John, 1806, IR 26/399
HOLLIER, John, Farmer, 1849, PROB 11/2099
HOLLIS, Edward, Housedealer, 1822, PROB 11/1657
HOOKHAM, Mary, Widow of Clifton, 1755, PROB 11/814
HUGHES, Richard Hughes, Yeoman, 1835, PROB 11/1851
HUGHES, Fanny, Widow, 1837, PROB 11/1886
JEWSTER, Francis, Carpenter, 1655, PROB 11/250
KEENE, Reverend John Wroe, Clerk, 1846, PROB 11/2033
KILBY, Robert, Baker, 1803, IR 26/398
KILBY, Robert, The Elder of Clifton, 1808, IR 26/398
KILLBY, Robert, Yeoman, 1828, PROB 11/1736
KNOWLES, Edward, Ironmonger, 1812, PROB 11/1530
LAD, Philip, 1731, PROB 11/642,
LANE, John, 1687, PROB 11/388,
LANE, John, Gentleman, 1736, PROB 11/676
LANGSTON, Ann, Spinster, 1726, PROB 11/612
LANGSTON, Elizabeth, Gentleman(?), 1750, PROB 11/783
LARGE, Richard, Innholder, 1656, PROB 11/256
LASSERE, James, Gentleman, 1749, PROB 11/770
LATHAM, John, Yeoman of Clifton, 1780, PROB 11/1071
LOWE, Matthew, Gentleman, 1801, PROB 11/1360
MAKEPEACE, George, Mercer, 1655, PROB 11/243
MANINGE, Edmond, Gentleman, 1588, PROB 11/73
MANNING, Philip, Slatter and Plasterer, 1810, PROB 11/1509
MANNINGE, John, Yeoman, 1571, PROB 11/53
MARGETTS, William, Grocer, 1857, PROB 11/2253
MASON, Elizabeth, Spinster, 1851, PROB ???
MATHEW, George, Gentleman, 1629, PROB 11/156
MAYNARD, John, Yeoman, 1682, PROB 11/370
MERRY, Nathan, Mealman, 1777, PROB 11/1036
MERRY, William, Mealman, 1791, PROB 11/1211
MINSTERLY, John, Carpenter, 1714, PROB 11/539
MOSEDEN, Alice, Spinster of Clifton, 1726, PROB 11/611
NUTT, Daniel, 1645, PROB 11/193,
NUTT, Thomas, Mercer, 1658, PROB 11/274
NUTT, John, Mercer, 1663, PROB 11/311
NUTT, Job, Gentleman, 1679, PROB 11/360
ORDWAY, Joan, Widow, 1727, PROB 11/615
ORDWAY, Philip, Baker, 1808, IR 26/399
OWEN, Anthony, Yeoman, 1654, PROB 11/239
OWEN, Richard, Gentleman, 1707, PROB 11/497
PARSONS, John Stevens, Farmer of Clifton, 1844, PROB 11/1992
PARSONS, Maria Stevens, Spinster of Clifton, 1842, PROB 11/1968
PEESLY or PEESLYE, Anthony, Yeoman of Clifton, 1638, PROB 11/176
PHILPOTS, Ann, Spinster, 1848, PROB 11/2076
PISLEY, Anthony, Yeoman of Clifton, 1701, PROB 11/461
PRICE, Robert, Mercer, 1633, PROB 11/164
PRICKETT, Andrew, Gentleman of Clifton, 1807, PROB 11/1461
PRINCE, Thomas, Yeoman of Clifton, 1652, PROB 11/224
PRITCHETT, Benjamin, Yeoman, 1835, PROB 11/1848
REEVES or HALL, Ann or Anne, Widow, 1856, PROB 11/2240
RICHARDSON, Mary otherwise Maria, Spinster of Clifton, 1815, PROB 11/1569
RISLEY Rev William Cotton
ROSE, William, Carpenter and Joiner, 1838, PROB 11/1903
RUTT, Job, Gentleman, 1701, PROB 11/462
SMART, James, Gentleman of Clifton, 1755, PROB 11/814
SMITHE, Vincent, Husbandman, 1605, PROB 11/106
SOUTH, William, Blacksmith, 1804, IR 26/399
STEVENS, John, Yeoman of Clifton, 1802, PROB 11/1372
* STILGOE, John, Farmer, 1843, PROB 11/1977
STURCH, William, Butcher and Victualler, 1841, PROB 11/1948
STURCH, John, Inn Holder, 1846, PROB 11/2039
SYMONDS, Thomas, Gentleman of Clifton, 1791, PROB 11/1208
TORNS (IORNS? ed.), Benjamin, Yeoman, 1805, IR/26/398
TRUELOVE, James, Shopkeeper, 1794, PROB 11/1243
TURNER, Elizabeth, 1652, PROB 11/224,
WELCHMAN, John, Baker, 1591, PROB 11/77
WELCHMAN, Edward, Yeoman, 1594, PROB 11/83
WESKAR, Mary, Spinster, 1855, PROB 11/2217
WESTCAR, Samuel, 1836, PROB 11/1857,
WESTON, Mary, Widow, 1831, PROB 11/1783
WHACELY, Thomas, 1699, PROB 11/452,
WILLIAMS, Alice, Widow, 1824, PROB 11/1686
WILLIAMS, Henry, Cooper, 1824, PROB 11/1686
WILLIAMS, William, Cooper, 1857, PROB 11/2250
WOODLEY, John, Labourer of Clifton, 1839, PROB 11/1915
WOOLGROVE, Thomas, Cordwainer, 1829, PROB 11/1764
YARNETON alias HADLEY or YARNTON, Roger, Mercer, 1600, PROB 11/96
Information on Jon Maling's ancestors in Deddington can be found here
* A list of all the Stilgoe family Wills that are known to exist can be found by following this link HERE