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Rutland (RUT)

Jurisdiction

  1. The majority of parishes in Rutland came under the Archdeaconry Court of Northampton before 1541, both Northampton and the Consistory Court of Peterborough from 1541-1598, and Peterborough after 1598. See the County of Northampton for details about both courts.
  2. Three parishes and one chapelry made up four prebendal courts of Lincoln as follows:
    • Caldecott, a chapelry in the parish of Liddington, was the Prebendal Court of Caldecott. It has its own records but other probate records may also be filed with those for Liddington. Registered Copy Wills for Caldecott are filed with the Archdeaconry of Huntingdon, which see.
    • Empingham was the Prebendal Court of Empingham. Registered Copy Wills are filed with the Archdeaconry of Huntingdon, which see. At least 10 entries for Empingham, 1556-1562, are filed with the Archdeaconry Court of Stow, see Lincoln.
    • Ketton with Tixover was the Prebendal Court of Ketton.
    • Liddington was the Prebendal Court of Liddington.

Decision Table for the Prebendal Courts

For those who lived in the Prebendal Courts outlined above, search:

  1. The respective court plus any additional courts mentioned above for that court
  2. Dean and Chapter Court of Lincoln (Lincoln)
  3. Consistory Court of Lincoln (Lincoln for further details)
  4. Prerogative Court of Canterbury (London: PCC)
  5. Court of Arches, 1660- (London: Arches)
  6. Court of Delegates, 1636- (London: Delegates)

For those who lived anywhere in the county between 1653-1660, search:

  1. Prerogative Court of Canterbury (London: PCC)

For those who lived anywhere in the county between 1812-1857, regardless of what is found in the probate records of any of the above courts, consider searching also the estate duty registers. (London: Estate Duty)

Printed Indexes for the Prebendal Courts

  1. 1669-1820, Caldecott, Ketton & Liddington (FHL 942 B4b) & (BYU CS434 .B7) volume 51
    This volume is part of the Index Library series (BRS) published in 1920. Hence, it is dated but still useful. Caldecott actually continues until 1830. This index does not include 1666-1677 for Ketton nor 1668-1676 for Liddington. However, there is another entry for Caldecott filed under Liddington. Volume 51 is also in the Ancestry.com system at Ancestry.com. This is a subscription site but you have free access to it when searching at the FHL or using the computers in the family history section of the BYU library.
  2. 1668-1834, Caldecott, Empingham, Ketton & Liddington (FHL 942 B4b) & (BYU CS 434 .B7) volume 57
    This volume is part of the Index Library series (BRS) published in 1930. It includes an index for Caldecott, 1669-1810, mixed with that of Liddington. Empingham's index stops in 1744. Ketton's is only for 1666-1677. Liddington's index stops with 1810. See the filmed card indexes below for thorough indexes for most of these courts.

Microfilmed Card Index/Records for the Prebendal Court of Caldecott

  • 1669-1830, Card Index (FHL 1517625, item 4)
    This card index is a product of the Leicester Record Office. It indexes the wills, 1669-1830, and administrations, 1753-1804. The 56 cards for Caldecott are the third entry on this film and are right after the cards for Ketton with Tixover. The manuscript calendar for the same time periods is at BYU on film 194399, item 4. All of the probate records for this court have been microfilmed. The older version is at BYU on film 194539. A newer version is on FHL 1469444, item 2 that should match the card index.

Microfilmed Calendars/Records for the Prebendal Court of Empingham

All of the records for this court have been microfilmed. The original wills and administrations, 1669-1744, that match the printed index in BRS 57 are found on FHL film 200119. A typescript index, 1745-1835, is mixed with that for the Prebendal Court of Nassington on FHL/BYU film 189823, item 1, followed by the original wills in alphabetical order on item 2. Item 3 of the same film contains the administrations and inventories. However, the duplicate copy on FHL/BYU film 200120 might be easier to use.

Microfilmed Card Index/Records for the Prebendal Court of Ketton

  • 1574-1834, Card Index (FHL 1517625, item 4)
    The 83 cards for Ketton and Tixover follow those for Liddington. The older version is at BYU on film 194399, item 4. All of the probate records for this court have been microfilmed. The older version including the administrations, 1742-1825; one inventory for 1729; and the wills for surnames A-B only are on BYU film 194539. The wills, B-W, continue on BYU film 194540. The newer filming, 1574-1834, is FHL film 1469444, item 2.

Microfilmed Card Index/Records for the Prebendal Court of Liddington

  • 1723-1832, Card Index (FHL 1517625, item 4) 
    Use the printed index (BRS 57) for searches before 1723. The manuscript calendar for the same time period as the card index is at BYU on film 194399, item 4. All of the probate records for this court have been microfilmed. There are 23 original wills, 1668-1810, on FHL/BYU film 200123. The first 22 documents are indexed in BRS 57, but not document 23 which is the will of William Allin, gentleman, proven in 1743. The older collection of documents, 1723-1832, is at BYU on film 194540. The newer version for the same time period is on FHL film 1469444, item 2.

Miscellaneous Section

  1. 1509-1632, Abstracts (FHL 942.5 B2Ln) volume 3
    Abstracts of wills for 12 persons from Rutland were published in the Leicestershire and Rutland Notes and Queries. This same volume is at BYU on film 453042. They are for:
    • William Allen, apothecary of Okeham, 1615
    • William Boden or Bodenham, knight of Ryhall, 1613
    • Everard Digby of Stoke Dry, 1509
    • George Durant of Baradon, 1594
    • Dorothy Halford, wife of Richard Halford of Edithweston, 1632
    • Robert Hardy of Lydington, 1517
    • Anthony Skeffyngton, parson of Glaston, 1554
    • Richard Stokisley, parson of North Luffenham, 1527
    • Anne Swillington, widow of Liddington, 1567
    • Thomas Towers of Uppingham, 1516
    • Kenelme Watson of Lyddington, 1598
    • Ursula Watson of Lyddington, 1600
  2. Early-1821, Index/Abstracts (FHL/BYU film 808524)
    A.W. Read made abstracts of wills for persons from Caldecott, Ketton, and Liddington that are filed with another collection for Groby in Leicester. There is a name index. The wills for Caldecott are on pages 307-341, for Ketton on pages 341-385, and for Liddington on pages 385-449.
  3. 1383-1700, Card Index to PCC Wills for Northamptonshire and Rutland
    See item 7 of the Miscellaneous Section of Northampton for details of this collection.