In a message dated 07/10/2007 13:21:45 GMT Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: Where are Durham wills kept? Not in the County Record Office apparently. Jane: Durham University Library, Archives and Special Collections, which Stan mentioned, hold all the records, back to 1540, of the Bishop of Durham's Consistory Court, which is where most Co Durham Wills were proved up to 1858, when the modern system of Probate Courts was introduced. That Court proved all Wills leaving property situated in Durham Diocese, which was roughly the two counties of Durham and Northumberland. Any Will referring to property partly in Durham Diocese and partly in another Diocese of the Church's Northern Province (eg ones from Teesdale where the testator may have left property on both the Durham and the York side of the Tees) would be proved in the Archbishop of York's Prerogative Court in York, as would ones including property either partly or entirely within the Archbishop's Special Jurisdiction of Hexhamshire. During interregna in the See of Durham all Wills normally proved in the Bishop of Durham's Court would be proved in York. During interregna in the Archbishopric of York any Wills normally proved in the Archbishop of York's Court would be proved in the Archbishop of Canterbury's Prerogative Court in Canterbury. Whether or not a Will is a "Durham Will" depends not on where the testator lived, but where the Real Estate he left was situated! Some early Wills, mainly of important local land-owning families, up to about 1640, have been published by the Surtees Society. They have also published a volume of Darlington Wills of the 17th century. The Northumberland and Durham Family History Society have published five volumes of "Personal Names in Wills Proved at Durham", covering 1787 to 1803. Note that these cover only Wills (not Admons, Probate Inventories etc) and mention only the names and relationships, if any, of persons mentioned in a Will for any reason at all. They do not mention who was left what! The Wills of some important local land-owners will be mentioned and perhaps abstracted, wholly or in part, in major local histories, such as Robert Surtees' "History of the County Palatine of Durham". I agree with Stan that the University Library give a very good service in providing photocopies of Wills. Be prepared to pay (1) the photocopying charge, (b) the dreaded VAT and (3) a handling charge of about £4 (roughly) per order. You will have to specify precisely which Will you want photocopied, so it is best to access, if you can, the microfilm of their Calendars of Wills (historic documents in themselves, they appear to be contemporary with the end of the periods they cover), to be found in local County Record Offices - including that of Durham! Geoff Nicholson