how and where do i go about searching for ancestor's will and probate in the United Kingdom?

Question

this is a serious question no stupid answers please

Answer 1

It depends on the year. Most local studies departments will have indexes of Wills after 1858 which you can go through. You will then need to go to your local probate office to order a copy (It's only about £5). If the will is after about 1980 they will have the indexes at the probate office itself _you should be able to find the address and phone number in the book.
If it was before 1858 it is abit more complicated and longwinded asit sepends on where the will was proved .i.e. the Ecclesiastical Court of York or Canterbury.

Answer 2

Finding a will can be a minefield. It is best split into two categories - pre-1858 and post-1858.

Before 1858 the proving of a will was the responsibility of the church. The will was then proved in the local bishop's court that covered the area the person lived in. The will then becomes part of the diocesan records, meaning that these days it is found in the local Dioceasan Record Office which is usually also the County Record Office and has all wills for the church areas in their jurisdiction. That is the theory, but there are exceptions, especially if an ancestor was wealthy and held land in more than one church diocese. The middle and higher classes also liked to get their will proved in a higher court than might have been strictly necessary, so may have gone right to the top level and the Archbishop's Court of Canterbury.

It is always worthwhile checking the National Archives "Documents Online" website first as the pre-1858 Canterbury wills are online and can be downloaded for £3.50 a go. Very few of the other "lower" court records are online. Essex and Cheshire Record Offices both have online indexes to wills they hold, but in most cases, you still have to visit the area in question and consult the indexes yourself. They are generally well arranged and easy to access though. They can be really difficult to read though - some of the official "secretary" style handwriting is really evil to translate and make sense of, especially if you are not used to it!

After 1858, wills became the responsibility of the courts, and a national index was made available. Most large libraries and County Record Offices have copies of these indexes on microfiche up until about the 1930s, but wills can be found and ordered much later than this from the indexes at any one of the main probate offices across the UK by a visit in person. Most people then use the postal service available from York which costs £5 and takes about six weeks.

Answer 3

I think the National Archives have online access to Wills. Go their website and click Family History. You might have to pay to view the document but searches are free. Worth a look!!!

Answer 4

The citizens advice burro would put you right on this find out your nearest one nearly every town and city have one and there advice is free i would try them before going to a solicitor.

Answer 5

you need to get legal advice from a solicitor, because you will probably need proof of relationship. then you will need to apply for probate through the county court, so you really need some legal advice