Cambridgeshire Probate Records

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

Cambridgeshire Probate Courts

Here is a list of the courts that had some probate jurisdiction over the parishes of Cambridgeshire:

• Court of the Archdeaconry of Ely (Diocese of Ely)
• Court of the Archdeaconry of Norfolk (Diocese of Norwich)
• Court of the Archdeaconry of Sudbury (Diocese of Norwich)
• Court of the Bishop of Ely (Episcopal Consistory)
• Court of the Bishop of Norwich (Episcopal Consistory)
• Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (Essex and Hertfordshire Division)
• Prerogative Court of the Archibishop of Canterbury

Court Jurisdictions

Before 1858, probate of the estates of deceased persons was handled by eccelesiastical courts of the Church of England.  Every parish was under the jurisdiction of a primary court and several secondary courts.

Below is a list of Cambridgeshire towns and parishes beginning with the letter A and the pre-1858 courts that had jurisdiction over them.  For other places, click on the link for the letter a parish name begins with:  B, C, D-G, H-L, M-R, S-Z.

PARISH	PRIMARY COURT	SECONDARY COURTS - IN SEARCH ORDER
Abington Pigotts	Court of the Archdeaconry of Ely	2 - Court of the Bishop of Ely (Episcopal Consistory) 3 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury
Abington, Great	Court of the Bishop of Ely (Episcopal Consistory)	2 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury
Abington, Little	Court of the Bishop of Ely (Episcopal Consistory)	2 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury
Arrington	Court of the Bishop of Ely (Episcopal Consistory)	2 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury
Ashley with Silverley	Court of the Archdeaconry of Sudbury	2 - Pre-1837: Court of the Consistory of Norwich 2 - Post-1836: Court of the Bishop of Ely (Episcopal Consistory) 3 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury