In 1542 Blandford was transferred from the diocese of Salisbury to the newly formed diocese of Bristol and remained under Bristol until it was transferred back in 1836. The Archdeacon of Dorset's registry was at Blandford and remained here until 1858. During this period wills came under the jurisdiction of the church courts, where they were proved and grants of probate issued. After 1731 the Archdeacon's and Bishop's courts were held at first 'in the church porch of the late burnt church at Blandford' and later 'at the Red Lyon Inn there'. Many of the Archdeacon's records were lost during the reform riots of the 1830's at Blandford and at Bristol.

In 1735 an episcopal visitation to Blandford Forum brought to the attention of the church court the fact that 'Catherine Piddle, Prudence Paine and Christian Adam have had bastards . . . imprudent creatures that do penance yearly without shame'. A typical sentence of penance was to 'stand three market days in the town and three Sabeathe dayes in the church, in a white sheete, with a paper on her back and bosom showing her sinne. . .'

Ecclesiastical probate jurisdiction ceased in 1858 when a district registry of the High Court of Justice was established at Blandford, which continued until 1941.