England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Earl Sterndale St Michael

The Parish

The chapelry of Earl Sterndale, its mother parish being Hartington, lies in the extreme west of northern Derbyshire forming an extensive stretch of the border with neighbouring Staffordshire whilst Cheshire, too, is also not too far away to the north. Earl Sterndale is a long linear village which sits immediately south of the B5053 road which links Warslow and Longnor through to the Derby to Buxton road the A515. Earl Sterndale is an upland village within the Peak District National Park and sitting on the limestone of the southern Peak. The village is perched high above the upper reaches of the River Dove which here forms the border of Derbyshire with Staffordshire. Like most upland villages arable farming would have been difficult and the local economy would have been underpinned mainly by pastoral grazing of sheep supplemented by quarrying of the limestone and some extractive industries. Modern developments came and went from Earl Sterndale with the Peak Forest & Cromford railway line now functioning as mixed cycling and hiking trail. Today Earl Sterndale largely earns its income from tourism the delights of the Limestone Peak being a draw for hikers whilst the Dove is a mecca for anglers. The Dove drains the parish southeastwards passing through Dovedale past Uttoxeter and eventually reaching the Trent near Burton upon Trent, the Trent meanwhile has a long journey before eventually debauching into the North Sea through the Humber Estuary. Earl Sterndale is sited at around 330 metres above the sea, some 80 metres above the Dove, whilst land continues rising into substantial hills reaching 450 metres about a mile north of the village. Earl Sterndale carved a substantial acreage from the wider Hartington parish, covering almost 5,000 acres it would have supported a population of around 350 parishioners. Earl Sterndale is not specifically mentioned in Domesday Book.

The Church

St Michael's church sits at the heart of Earl Serndale tucked away between the two parallel lanes that form the main body of property. Sadly this is not some medieval masterpiece, it was only completed in 1829 to serve the community. The church uses a mixture of styles with the chancel in mock 12th century with lancet windows whilst the nave's are reflective of the century after. The rather blocky western tower completes the standard layout of later medieval fashion. The easiest parking is at the western end of the churchyard which is open and uncluttered leaving all the favourable angles available for the photographer.