Cornwall Probate Jurisdictions Parishes B

Before 1858, every town and parish in Cornwall was under the probate jurisdiction of a primary court and several secondary courts. When looking for the will of an ancestor who lived or owned property in Cornwall, search the courts in the order given. Search indexes first. To find indexes, click on the name of a court.

Here is a list of the Cornwall parishes beginning with letters B and the pre-1858 courts that had jurisdiction over them. For other parishes, click on the link for the first letter of the parish name:

A, C, D-K, L, M-O, P-R, S, T-Z.

1. In the first column, find the place where your ancestor lived. 2. In the second column, click on the court name to learn where to find the records and indexes. 3. If the record isn't found in the primary court, search the records for the secondary courts in the order listed. 4. The last court to search is the Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

If no will is found, your ancestor may not have left one.