England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Crickadarn St Mary

The Parish

The parish of Crickadarn lies in eastern Breconshire, indeed it forms part of the border with neighbouring Radnorshire. Crickadarn is located just west of the A470 road which follows the valley of the River Wye (here marking the border of the two counties) from Hay on Wye to Builth Wells. Crickadarn parish has two main settlements, the village of Erwood being sited on the main road, whilst the hamlet of Crickadarn which gives its name to the parish is high on a hill to the west. Crickadarn is an upland parish with a substantial rise across the parish, Erwood on the banks of the Wye sits at just 110 metres above sea level but land rises to the west sharply to over 400 metres on the edges of the Mynydd Epynt. The parish is elongated east to west and gathers land types from watermeadows by the Wye, through lush pasture and woodland on the valley slopes through to rough moorland grazing on the summits. As befits an upland parish the acreage is relatively large, almost 2,500 acres, and supported around 440 parishioners across the two settlements. In common with most of Wales Crickadarn receives no mention in Domesday Book.

The Church

St Mary's church is located at the heart of the hamlet of Crickadarn, the church occupies a circular raised churchyard which is usually indicative of ancient worship site. The church consists of a combined nave & chancel, which Pevsner dates to the 14th century, together with a western tower which he states is later e.g. 16th century and contemporary with other Tudor material in the church. As to be expected there were restorations in the Victorian era and later which enhanced and preserved the building, including one by a famous practitioner Sir Clough William-Ellis. The church is located at a "T" junction of roads and is accessed by a short slabbed pathway by the village phone box, from here a set of wooden gates gives access to the circular site. Trees hem in the church to the north but otherwise angles are uncluttered giving fine views from the south.