Devon Probate Records

England > Devon

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

Devonshire Probate Courts

• Court of the Bishop (Consistory) of the Archdeaconry of Barnstable
• Court of the Archdeaconry of Cornwall
• Court of the Bishop (Consistory) of the Archdeaconry of Exeter
• Court of the Bishop (Consistory) of the Archdeaconry of Totnes
• Court of the Peculiar of the Bishop of Exeter (Episcopal Consistory)
• Peculiar of the Court of the Dean and Chapter of Exeter
• Court of the Peculiar of the Manor of Cockington
  
• Court of the Peculiar of the Manor of Templeton
• Court of the Peculiar of the Custos and College of Vicars Choral in Exeter
• Court of the Peculiar of the Dean of Exeter
• Court of the Archdeaconry of Dorset

Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury

In addition, the Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury had jurisdiction over the whole of England. Wealthier individuals, people who owned property in more than one county or lower court's jurisdiction, people who died overseas but owned property in Britain, and Naval personnel often had their estates proven through the Archbishop's court.

Appeals Courts

Any probate that was disputed and could not be settled by the county courts could be sent to these higher appeals courts:

• Court of Arches
• High Court of Delegates

In addition, the Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury also served as an appeals court.

Court Jurisdictions

Before 1858, every Devonshire town and parish was under the probate jurisdiction of a primary ecclesiastical court and one or more secondary ecclesiastical courts.

To see a list of places in Devonshire and courts that had pre-1858 probate jurisdiction over them, click on a link for the letter a place name begins with: A, B, C, D-E, F-H, I-K, L-M, N-O, P-R, S, T-V, W-Z.

Probate Indexes Online

Before looking for a will, you should search an index. 

• http://history.wiltshire.gov.uk/heritage/index.php pre-1858 for CHARDSTOCK and UFFCULME parishes, and a few other wills from other parishes.

This catalogue gives access to wills and other probate records of the diocese of Salisbury which used to cover not only Wiltshire but also Berkshire (under certain circumstances) and parts of Dorset and Devon. You can search for people by name, place, occupation and date. The collection covers 1540-1858. Searching the catalogue is FREE. In addition there are digital images for some of the documents (just over 25%) which can be viewed following on-line payment or free of charge by people visiting the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre. Wills and inventories give useful information about people’s financial status and property, and also their family relationships and friendships, which make them a wonderful resource for family and local history.

• http://www.devon.gov.uk/index/democracycommunities/neighbourhoods-villages/record office/family history 3/wills records.htm -- This website provides information about Devon wills.

• http://www.devon.gov.uk/index/democracycommunities/people/family_history/family history 3/wills records/locating wills and admin.htm -- This website provides information about Devon wills.

• http://genuki.cs.ncl.ac.uk/DEV/DevonWills/index.html -- Devon Names in the Calendars of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills 1383-1700

Post-1858 Probate Records

Category: England