Court of the Bishop (Consistory) of the Archdeaconry of Cornwall

England Cornwall Probate Records or Devonshire Probate Records

For an explanation of probate records in England, click here.

Step By Step
1. First search each index (see below) to help you more quickly find the will or administration (admon), writing down each detail cited in the indexed entry. 2. Proceed to the "Records" (below) to determine what probate records exist for this court. 3. Contact or visit the Cornwall County Record Office or, hire a professional record searcher to view these records on your behalf. Officials may send upon request a list of record searchers.

4. Visit The Family History Library, or, one of its 4,500 satellite family history centers worldwide and search indexes to probate records. Then with the information obtained from the index[es] you can search more quickly the original wills and admons also on microfilm via any centers near you.

Online Indexes
Cornwall Wills online (see "Probate Records")

Printed &amp; Published Indexes
Indexes 1569-1799 List &amp; Index vol 56

Indexes 1569-1858 at Society of Genealogists

The following indexes are at the Family History Library:


 * Probate will indexes, 1569-1664 arranged by parish.
 * Calendar of wills, administrations and accounts relating to the counties of Cornwall and Devon in the Connotorial Archdeaconal Court of Cornwalledited by R. M. Glencross
 * Index to Cornish probate records, 1600-1649.
 * Calendars of wills and administrations relating to the counties of Devon and Cornwall : 1532-1800
 * Calendar of wills and administrations relating to the counties of Devon and Cornwall proved in the consistory court ..., 1532-1800, edited by Edward Alexander Fry
 * Probate will indexes, 1569-1664
 * Parish index to wills, Jan 1660 - Nov 1857

Archive Location
Cornwall Record Office

Old County Hall

Truro

Cornwall

United Kingdom, TR1 3AY. Email: cro@cornwall.gov.uk

Tel: 01872 323127

Archive Records
Original Wills, Admons, &amp; Inventories 1600-1858

Register Copy Wills 1690-1858

Act Books 1592-1858

Family History Library Records
The Family History Library has copies of the following records on film. Films can be viewed in a family history center.


 * Wills and probate records, 1578-1700
 * Original wills, administrations and inventories for the Consistorial Court of the Archdeaconry of Cornwall, 1579-1859
 * Cornish probate records at Cornwall Record Office, 1800-1857
 * Miscellaneous probate records, 1570-1799
 * Transcript of Cornish wills, from the probate registry of Truro compiled by Olive Moger

Jurisdiction
This court was inhibited by the Court of the Bishop's Registrar of Exeter. The original records of the Court of the Archdeacon of Cornwall are in the County Record Office.

The court had jurisdiction over the Devonshire parishes of North Petherwin, St. Giles on the Heath, and Werrington.