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  1. #1
    caliope
    Guest

    Question Calender of Wills

    Hello all,

    I'm hoping someone may be able to advise what the following information is stating. I'm not sure whether the information is a register showing that a person made up a will or whether the actual will exists somewhere. I've typed it exactly as it was written.

    Somerset-Calender of Wills, 1537-1799, and Administration in the Court of the Archdeacon of Taunton
    Burials
    Calender of Wills in Bundles 1597-1799
    Part 1. Wills in Registers 1537-1593
    County: Somerset
    Country: England
    Fry, Edward Sampford Arundel 109 1683


    I'm hoping for the actual will! Can someone advise please?

    Thank you!

  2. #2
    Colin Moretti
    Guest

    Default

    In this context a calendar is a list or index, usually arranged in date order, of a series of documents. Since the entry states
    Part 1. Wills in Registers 1537-1593
    I would assume that it is referring to full transcripts of wills in a register, rather than the originals, but the originals may also still be available.

    Where did you find the extract? If it was in the catalogue of an archive then that would be the obvious place to ask the question. Even if it was not in a catalogue I would email the Somerset Record Office and ask:
    https://www.somerset.gov.uk/archives/, that will be where the will or register is held, if it exists.

    Colin

  3. #3
    Reputation beyond repute
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Kent
    Posts
    16,792

    Default

    From "Probate Jurisdictions" by Gibson & Churchill:

    "All probate records for the diocese of Bath & Wells deposited in the probate registry at Exeter were destroyed by enemy action in 1942...15,000 copies have been located...There are printed indexes to the lost wills and admons for the Archdeaconry of Taunton 1537-1799"

    Ask the archives is certainly good advice!

    You may want to look out for the publication "Somerset Wills Index: Printed and Manuscript Copies".

  4. #4
    caliope
    Guest

    Smile

    Thank you for your replies, Colin and Peter.

    The information was from the A******* website. Terrible about the destruction of the records at Exeter! So much history lost. It looks as though my ancestor's will is just a listing then from your reply, Peter.

    I have taken your advice and emailed the Somerset Record Office for the official answer.
    Also, Colin, I found a lot of other documents on their website which relate to my ancestors and have not been destroyed so all is not lost!

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