Up Nately and Andwell Probate Material 1641-1660

Few wills are proved in this period of civil war and interregnum. Bishops were abolished in 1646 together with their probate courts. Southern wills should have been proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury (PCC) in this period but as the case of Bartholomew Aires demonstrates the system continued to function in Winchester.

These transcriptions have been made from copies of original probate documents supplied by HRO and TNA.  Words have been modernized and punctuation added to make reading easier but names have been transcribed as written. Words in italics indicate omissions in the original document which have been added to make sense of the text. Words in square brackets indicate that they have been transcribed as seen but where the meaning is unclear. Basingstoke is described as being in the county of Southampton, the old name for Hampshire.

A glossary is attached of unusual words.

Links to the wills and inventories are below:

• Martha Looker, widow of John of Andwell, 1646 (Will)
• Bartholomew Aires of Up Nately, 1651 (Will and inventory)