Inquisitions
Post Mortem
Formal inquiries after the death of a tenant-in-chief
|
Return to the Home Page of the Farndale Family
Website |
The story of one family’s journey through two
thousand years of British History |
The 83 family lines into which the family is divided.
Meet the whole family and how the wider family is related |
Members of the historical family ordered by date of
birth |
Links to other pages with historical research and
related material |
The story of the Bakers of Highfields, the Chapmans,
and other related families |
Inquisitions Post Mortem
Inquisitions post mortem (“IPM”)
were formal enquiries into the lands held by a person shortly after their
death, in order to discover any income and rights due
to the crown. Such inquisitions were only held when people were thought or
known to have held lands of the crown.
Inquisitions post mortem, sometimes
known as escheats, were inquiries, undertaken after the death of a
feudal tenant in chief, that is, a direct tenant of the crown, to establish
what lands were held and who should succeed to them. They survive from around
1240 until the Restoration in 1660, when feudal tenure was abolished.
After the death of a tenant in chief, a writ of diem clausit extremum would usually be issued to the local escheator,
the official responsible for taking possession of the dead tenant's estate. He
would then convene a local jury and conduct an inquiry,
A separate one was generally held in each of the counties where the deceased
had held land.
The earliest inquisitions are less detailed, but generally the
information recorded would include the date when the tenant died, the names of the
manors held and details of the services performed in return for them, and also
the name, age and relationship of the heir or of each coheir. The ages might
well be approximate, particularly if given in 'round figures', and for older
heirs; if the heir were a minor, however, accuracy would be important.
Further records might be made of the assignment of dower (part of
a husband's estate, to be held by his widow for her lifetime).
If the heir were a minor, the crown had the right to his or her wardship.
The heir would not take possession of the estate until his or her majority was
attained, and at this point proof of age might be recorded.
From 1540, in cases where the heir was a minor, or in cases of
‘lunacy’, further information may be found in the records of the Court of Wards
and Liveries (letter code WARD).
One shortcoming of this system for genealogists is that it applied
only to tenants in chief. No such record would be taken for anyone who was a sub-tenant,
no matter how rich or powerful he might be. On the other hand, many other
people are mentioned incidentally in the inquisitions. Those of higher status
appear as sub-tenants or as trustees, feoffees, of the deceased. feoffees
were often related to the tenant, although the relationships are not usually
stated. Humbler people appear as jurors, or may give
evidence about the age of the heir, and detailed manorial surveys might also be
made.
They are generally organised into Calendars of Inquisitions Post Mortem.
They can be found at the National
Archives covering the periods 1236-1447 and 1485-1509 (C132 to C 139,
E149). Volumes for the period 1418-1447 are not available here but may be found
at Mapping the Medieval
Countryside. Inquisitions for the years 1447 to 1485 are currently
unpublished. See also an online index of Calendars of Inquisitions at Medieval Genealogy.
There is an excellent guide to IPMs by the
National Archives.
Index to Inquisitions Post Mortem
Mapping the Medieval Countryside is a
major research project dedicated to creating a digital edition of the medieval
English inquisitions post mortem from 1236 to 1509.
Calendar
of Inquisitions Post Mortem, Volume 1,
(Henry III, 1236 to 1272).
Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, Volume 2, (Edward I, 1272 to 1291).
Calendar of Inquisitions Post
Mortem, Volume 3,
(Edward I, 1291 to 1300).
Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, Volume 4, (Edward I, 1300 to 1307).
Calendar
of Inquisitions Post Mortem, Volume 5,
(Edward II 1307 to 1316).
Calendar
of Inquisitions Post Mortem, Volume 6,
(Edward II, 1316 to 1327).
Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, Volume 7, (Edward III, 1327 to 1336).
Calendar of Inquisitions Post
Mortem, Volume 8,
(Edward IIII, 1336 to 1347).
Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, Volume 9, (Edward IIII, 1347 to 1352).
Calendar of Inquisitions Post
Mortem, Volume 10,
(Edward III, 1352 to 1361).
Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, Volume 11, (Edward III, 1361 to 1365).
Calendar of Inquisitions Post
Mortem, Volume 12,
(Edward III, 1365 to 1370).
Calendar
of Inquisitions Post Mortem, Volume 13,
(Edward III, 1370 to 1373).
Calendar of Inquisitions Post
Mortem, Volume 14,
(Edward III, 1374 to 1377).
Calendar
of Inquisitions Post Mortem, Volume 15,
(Richard II, 1377 to 1384).
Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, Volume 16, (Richard II, 1384 to 1392).
Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, Volume 17, (Richard II, 1392 to 1399).
Calendar
of Inquisitions Post Mortem, Volume 18,
(Henry IV, 1399 to 1405).
Calendar
of Inquisitions Post Mortem, Volume 19,
(Henry IV, 1405 to 1413).
Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, Volume 20,
(Henry V, 1413–1418).
Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, Volume 21,
(Henry V, 1418 to 1422).
Calendar of Inquisitions
Post Mortem, Volume 22 (Henry VI, 1422-1427).
Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, Volume 23
(Henry VI, 1427 to 1432).
Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, Volume 24
(Henry VI, 1432 to 1437).
Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, Volume 25
(Henry VI, 1437 to 1442).
Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, Volume 26
(Henry VI, 1442 to 1447).
Calendar of inquisitions
post mortem, Henry VII, Volume 1.
Calendar of inquisitions
post mortem, Henry VII, Volume 2.
Calendar of inquisitions post mortem, Henry VII, Volume 3.
Calendarium inquisitionum
post mortem sive escaetarum is a four-volume printed index
and calendar of medieval English records. Published between 1806 and 1828 by
the British Record Commission, it lists properties and heirs from royal death
inquiries held from the reigns of Henry III to Richard III.
Calendarium inquisitionum post mortem sive escaetarum, Volume 1 (1216 to 1327).
Calendarium inquisitionum post mortem sive escaetarum, Volume 2
(1327 to 1377).
Calendarium inquisitionum post mortem sive escaetarum, Volume 3
(1377 to 1413).
Calendarium inquisitionum post mortem sive escaetarum, Volume 4
(1413 to 1485).