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

The Parish

The parish of Newton Solney lies in the extreme southwest of Derbyshire forming a stretch of the county's border with neighbouring Staffordshire. Newton Solney is located roughly 2 miles northeast of the Staffordshire brewing town of Burton upon Trent and sits on the B5008 road which parallels the River Trent (here forming the county border) between Burton upon Trent and Repton. Newton Solney is a mixture of simple junction settlement and a riverside settlement, most properties lies between the T-junction, formed by the B5008 and the lane to Bretby, and the banks of the River Trent. Much of the parish of Newton Solney sits upon the Trent's flood-plain which gave rich pastures for cattle, the drier parts of the parish to the east would have been more arable, the presence of the river also gave access to river-based transportation both to local markets such as Burton but also to the wider Trent catchment. Modern developments have arrived into the area with most following a line that follows the parish boundaries with neighbouring Egginton, first to arrive was the Trent & Mersey Canal linking those two mighty rivers, the railway line between Burton and both Derby & Nottingham pass along a similar line, the A38, following the ancient line of the Roman Icknield Street, is also on a similar line and has been upgraded to a busy dual-carriageway highway. Newton Solney is drained northeast and then east by the Trent which eventually turns northwards after Newark to reach the Humber Estuary and the North Sea. Newton Solney is sited at between 40 metres above the sea, at the riverside, and 60 metres at the B5008, land continues to rise southeastwards away from the Trent to local hillocks at 115 metres in gently rolling terrain. Newton Solney parish was a relatively small parish by Derbyshire standards covering just 1,400 acres it would have supported a population of close to 300 parishioners. Domesday Newton Solney was a direct holding of King William and was an equally small farming manor offering 6 ploughs backed by some meadows & woodland.

The Church

St Mary's church sits almost on the banks of the Trent at the northwestern end of the dead-end Church Lane. Whilst still retaining substantial medieval fabric this is a church which received a major Victorian restoration. The earliest fabric which is identified by Pevsner is that of the northern doorway which he, somewhat hesitantly, ascribes to the 12th century Norman, his reluctance occasioned by the many re-cuts the stone-work has received. Other more convincing Norman fragments are found in the northern wall of the tower. The 13th century is represented by the northern aisle which preserves the characteristic lancet windows of the Early English Gothic period. More substantial fabric comes from the 14th century, the southern aisle, nave arcades and the tower complete with spire were all added or rebuilt during the first half of that century in the Decorated style. The classic church-building era of the Perpendicular era saw little change beyond the insertion of a clerestory to improve the internal lighting. The Victorian restoration of 1880-1882 is described by Pevsner as "heavy-handed" without going into too much detail of its effects. Church Lane is narrow but broadens into a turning area with a little parking space outside the gates. For the photographer the churchyard is one of two halves, the eastern and southeastern views are readily available but the west of the church lies deeply embedded into crowding trees leaving few views of that western tower.