On 25/01/2014 23:28, les wright wrote: > I would suggest that you get in touch with the > Somerset Record Office & see if there are any wills for the period 1500 to > 1600 for the county of Somerset with the name Arnold, I would not keep it > just with Ilchester as there do not appear to be any parish records early > 1500, so their records would be with another church. This would sought > things out once & for all for you as if there are no wills research in this > time frame is difficult. Where there are no parish registers, there may be other records such as Manorial Records. These are not online as far as I know but someone may know otherwise. None of my lines go back that far for ordinary folk. Parish registers started in 1538 and incumbents were instructed to keep them secure. It wasn't always successful. Time, weather and other Acts of God ably assisted by rodents and vandals have taken their toll. There were no such conditions on the Bishops Transcripts so they are even more haphazard. Somerset Wills were sent to Exeter for safety during the War. Some survive and there may be Office copies of any proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury. Those can be found on Ancestry. Best bet is to contact the Somerset Heritage Centre (formerly Somerset Record Office). They can advise what they hold and also suggest where else to look. -- Charani (UK) OPC for Walton, Ashcott, Shapwick, Greinton and Clutton, SOM http://wsom-opc.org.uk

Great Charani thankyou Jill--