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England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Abbotsham St Helen

 

The Parish

The parish of Abbotsham lies in the extreme northwest of Devon, indeed it forms part of the county's coastline with the outer Bristol Channel. Abbotsham is a small and compact village situated about 2 miles west of the port of Bideford. Abbotsham sits just to the west of the A39 road which connects Bideford with the Cornish coastal resort of Bude. Abbotsham's rather distant claim to fame is as the site of a notable victory over an invading Danish Army in the 9th century. At the time of this transcript, and indeed today, Abbotsham's economy would have been based on pastoral farming, its coastline rocky and lacking a harbour prevented any dealings with the nearby sea. Abbotsham is drained eastwards by several small streams which head the short distance to join the Torridge Estuary at Bideford and thence the wider Bristol Channel. Abbotsham is sited at around 50 metres above the sea on gently undulating countryside with local heights rising nearby to around 120 metres nearby. Abbotsham parish was fairly typically sized for this area of Devon, covering around 1,800 acres it would have supported a population of about 400 parishioners. In Domesday times Abbotsham was held by Tavistock Abbey and could offer 17 ploughs as well as meadows, pastures & woodland, a healthy range of domestic animals was also recorded.


The Church

St Helen's church sits at the heart of Abbotsham, on the southern side of the main lane running down to Bideford and between the two main junctions in the centre of the village. The church is highly unusual in layout having a tower on the northern side in the normal position for a transept and being opposite to the southern transept. This design as well as many features of the architecture lead Pevsner to place the building's origins in the 13th century, both nave and chancel have retained windows of the lancet style popular during the early English Gothic period. The church has received two significant restorations, in 1848 and the early 1870s which have masked many features useful for dating, however. The church sits a little back from the road fronted by a hemispherical parking area, the churchyard, being entered by a wooden gate, is hemmed in to west and east by trees making for a limited set of photographic angles.


The Records

Register No Covering Dates Deposited With Register Style Quality Standard Comments
1 7th February 1755 - 9th August 1812 North Devon Record Office - Reference - 3797A/PR/1/4 Standard preprinted and self-numbered combined Banns & Marriage register with 3 entries per page Grade 1 Register - Few issues noted and a low likelihood of misreads None
2 21st March 1813 - 14th November 1836 North Devon Record Office - Reference - 3797A/PR/1/5 Standard Rose style preprinted and prenumbered Marriage register Grade 1 Register - Few issues noted and a low likelihood of misreads None


Northam St Margaret
Northam St Margaret
Bideford St Mary
Alwington St Andrew
Alwington St Andrew
Bideford St Mary
Littleham by Bideford St Swithin

1760 1770 1780 1790 1800 1810 1820 1830

Register Reference Date Groom Forename Groom Surname Groom Status Groom Abode Bride Forename Bride Surname Bride Status Bride Abode
10/03/1754 William LEWIS   Ireland Elizabeth BIRCH   Bideford
3 07/02/1755 John PALMER     Mary RICE    
4 20/08/1755 Joseph MORRICE   Parkham Mary SMITH    
5 02/10/1757 John ANDREW     Mary PEARCE    
7 14/02/1758 Christopher TAYLOR   Buckland Brewer Elizabeth RICE    
8 27/07/1758 Charles EDMONDS     Juda BASS    
10 26/12/1758 William BURDICK     Margaret ELLIS    
11 06/09/1759 William PECKARD     Elizabeth CORNISH    
12 30/09/1759 John WILLIAMS     Jane TREBELL    
14 22/11/1759 John DAVIE     Hester PEW   Alwington
15 16/02/1760 George HOPKINS     Elizabeth HODGE    
17 12/04/1760 Thomas JEFFERY     Elizabeth HODGE    
16 22/03/1761 William BRAVINS     Jane HODGE    
18 25/05/1761 William EDDY     Hester AUSTIN    
19 24/09/1761 William JAMES     Sarah HONEY    
20 24/12/1761 John BRODICK     Mary COPLESTONE    
21 30/08/1762 John ORCHARD     Mary FUTT    
22 24/09/1762 John WISH     Mary PAYNE   Bideford
23 25/02/1763 William KEEN     Anna SHABBEAR    
24 07/04/1763 George CAUSEY     Mary VIGOUR    
25 10/04/1763 Thomas CLARK     Elizabeth BRANTON    
26 01/12/1763 William SURL   Bideford Elizabeth PENNY    
27 26/04/1764 Richard HOCKIN     Mary GALSWORTHY    
28 27/01/1765 Andrew BENSON     Elizabeth ALLIGANT    
29 07/05/1765 John MADDOX     Elizabeth CLEVERDON    
30 22/05/1765 Briant REED     Agness RATTENBURY    
31 30/12/1765 John BATTIN     Jane PIERCE    
32 02/04/1766 John SANDERS     Elizabeth BURDEN    
34 19/02/1767 Robert HUTCHINS     Sarah ELLIS Single  
35 03/09/1767 Humphrey JEFFERY     Catherine HERAMON    
36 05/04/1769 Francis CANN     Susannah FLOYD    
37 01/06/1769 John BRIDDICK     Miriam HEYWOOD    
38 15/02/1770 John BENNET     Elizabeth TRAHEAR    
39 22/11/1770 Roger WILLIAMS     Catharine BRANTON    
40 08/05/1771 John BRIDICK     Mary JOHNS Widow  
41 25/10/1771 John ACLAND     Margaret WILLIAMS    
42 17/12/1771 William BUCK Widower Bideford Mary COLLEY Single  
43 10/08/1772 Andrew BOATFIELD     Juda EDMONDS Widow  
44 18/08/1773 William EDY     Grace FULFURD    
45 07/02/1774 Thomas SOUDEN   Northam Mary WOOD    
46 22/04/1774 Joseph MUGRIDGE     Mary SHEBBEARE    
47 13/07/1774 Lawrance WILLIAMS     Susannah BLIGHT    
48 15/11/1774 William THOMAS     Mary CRAGG Widow  
49 03/04/1775 John BEARE     Mary BARFIT    
50 07/11/1775 John HOLMAN     Anne CHAPPLE    
51 22/04/1776 Samuel PYKE   Northam Elizabeth HATHERLEY    
52 18/05/1776 John CANN     Elizabeth LEAKER    
53 27/10/1776 James LUGG     Susannah UNDERHILL    
55 19/01/1779 William HERNAMAN     Elizabeth FLOYD    
57 24/03/1779 John CHAPELL     Elizabeth EDMONDS    
58 07/06/1779 Thomas GLOVER     Mary BOATFIELD   Bideford
59 11/11/1779 John CHIDESLEY     Elizabeth HOPKINS    
60 18/12/1779 John PENNY     Frances MOORE    
61 13/04/1780 William PIPER     Susanna HOPKINS    
63 20/07/1780 Thomas JAMES     Patience BLACKMORE    
62 02/09/1780 Samuel HEDDON     Susanna BAMBURY    
64 22/02/1781 Samuel SHORT     Jane RADCLIFF    
65 16/04/1781 Edward SYMONS     Catherine STONE    
66 27/08/1781 John WHITELOCK     Elizabeth BURDEN    
67 13/12/1781 Mathew WILLIAMS     Ann BRIDDICK    
68 10/06/1782 John HARRIES   Littleham By Bideford Elizabeth LEMON    
69 27/06/1782 John FULFORD     Elizabeth DIAMOND    
70 25/07/1782 Edward SULYARD     Dorothy DALTON    
71 19/09/1782 Philip HITCHENS     Sarah BURDICK    
72 01/05/1783 William HOLMAN     Mary STONE    
73 05/05/1784 William CRAGG     Elizabeth DENNIS    
74 27/02/1785 John BINES     Joanna GIBBS Single  
75 20/04/1785 Ezekiel JEFFORD     Christian DAVIE    
76 06/11/1785 William PALMER   Alwington Susannah OLD Single  
77 05/01/1786 Samuel NANCEKIEVILLE   Northam Margaret BOND Single  
78 15/07/1786 Samuel LEE     Ann NANCEKIEVILLE   Northam
80 27/02/1787 Richard HOCKIN     Ann KEENE Single  
79 28/02/1787 William BURNICKLE     Mary PHILIPS    
81 05/06/1787 Thomas SANDERS   Bideford Elizabeth BOND Single  
82 14/06/1787 William HOLMAN   Northam Christian RICHARDS Single  
83 14/10/1787 William CRAGG Widower   Ann SLOCOMBE Single  
84 21/11/1787 Thomas PAGGETT   Northam Ann BOND Single  
85 20/12/1787 Edward MARTIN   Alwington Mary HOLLMAN Single  
86 08/06/1788 Christopher LEE   Parkham Ann CUDMORE    
87 19/11/1789 Hugh ADAMS   Barnstaple Frances Kenney HARTNOLL Single  
88 04/03/1790 John TARDREW   Bideford Ann SANDERS Single  
89 25/03/1791 Hezekiah BRANCH     Elizabeth MOOR Single  
90 03/10/1791 William TAWTON   Northam Elizabeth LAKE Single  
91 04/04/1792 Alexander PEDLAR     Susanna STONE Single  
93 03/10/1793 John HANDFORD     Joanna MANNING Single  
94 03/01/1794 Philip MAY   Bideford Ann NEWCOMBE    
95 18/04/1794 Richard BAWDEN   Northam Susannah WILLIAMS    
96 07/08/1794 William STONE   Northam Rachel PALMER Single  
97 01/06/1795 William PASMORE   Alwington Elizabeth ANSTY    
98 16/11/1795 Richard LEACH     Margaret WAKELY    
99 07/02/1796 Richard ROGERS   Stoke Damerel Sarah KEEN    
101 04/04/1796 William JEFFERY     Mary BENNETT Single  
100 11/04/1796 William HANGER   Alwington Susanna CANN    
102 22/05/1797 John GREEN   Alwington Ann PRANCE    
104 27/03/1799 William WILLIAMS     Sarah BOND    
105 18/04/1799 Richard MORRICE   East Putford Grace PRANCE Single  
107 13/11/1800 William FULFORD     Mary BASS    
108 08/10/1801 John FULFORD     Mary GLOVER    
109 18/01/1802 John SCRIGGINS Widower Bideford Margaret NANCEKIEVILLE Widow  
110 24/03/1802 Joseph STONE   Northam Mary MARTIN Widow  
111 29/04/1802 John FULFORD Widower   Mary JEFFERY Widow  
112 21/06/1802 John PALMER     Elizabeth HOLLMAN Single  
113 22/08/1802 William COCK   Bideford Sarah WILLIAMS Single  
114 11/07/1803 George COLE     Emma OLD Single  
116 13/10/1803 John HOLMAN     Elizabeth PENNEY Single  
117 21/10/1803 John DANSEY Widower Blandford St Mary, Dorset Harriet HEYWOOD Single  
118 05/01/1804 William SHORT     Elizabeth SPEAR Single  
119 23/02/1804 Richard THORN   Alwington Ann DENNIS    
120 26/03/1804 Thomas STAPLEDON     Mary PEAT    
121 16/11/1805 Robert GREEN     Mary HOOKWAY    
122 30/01/1806 Silas FORD   Northam Honor WESTERN    
123 06/02/1806 William DENNIS     Elizabeth BENNET    
124 29/06/1806 Michael CHALK   Alwington Sarah MAY Single  
126 16/10/1806 Thomas HOLMAN     Frances COCK Single  
125 30/01/1807 Richard COOK   Northam Ann STEER Single  
128 14/08/1808 Roger WILLIAMS     Sarah HOCKING Single  
129 14/02/1810 John WADE   Clovelly Peternel BEER Single  
130 13/02/1812 Thomas FURSEMAN   Frithelstock Susannah PIPER Single  
132 09/08/1812 William DENNIS     Margaret HARRIS Single  
1 21/03/1813 John SAUNDERS   Northam Margaret HITCHINGS Single  
2 29/03/1813 Samuel HOOKAWAY     Mary ADAMS Single  
3 15/04/1813 George WESTREN     Ann WILLIAMS Single Northam
4 04/07/1813 Thomas ADAMS     Sarah WILLIAMS Single  
5 23/12/1813 James PICKARD     Mary HEARD    
6 04/06/1814 Haser PICKARD   Northam Ann BROOK    
7 29/03/1815 William MANNIN   East Putford Elizabeth HERN    
8 04/05/1815 Richard MALLET     Ann WILLIAMS Single  
9 25/12/1815 William KNIGHT   Ilfracombe Elinor BANNIN Single  
10 28/12/1815 Joseph SHORT   Huntshaw Susanna BERRY Single  
11 20/10/1816 Emanuel GIFFORD     Mary SANDERS Single  
12 22/10/1817 William HOLMAN Single Bideford Margaret COATS Single  
13 20/11/1817 Peter STEER     Grace HORTOP Single  
14 28/03/1818 William PEDRICK     Mary LEWIS Single  
15 19/04/1818 John CORK     Grace HARDINGE Single  
16 01/10/1818 William Collins HATHERLEY Single Bideford Alicia HATHERLY Single  
17 01/03/1819 William Saltren WILLETT Single   Christian Adelaide NANTES Single  
18 04/03/1819 James BURDICK     Ann COOKE    
19 29/03/1819 James THORN     Mary ACKLAND Single  
20 27/07/1820 Richard LEWIS     Phillipa FULFORD Single  
21 31/07/1820 John STEER     Ann HOLMAN Single  
22 11/03/1821 Peter WILLIAMS     Bettey PIPER Single  
23 13/05/1821 Edward HOLMAN     Betsy STEER    
24 24/06/1821 Andrew GLOVER     Sarah ACKLAND    
25 28/03/1822 John MOOR     Dorothy HARDING    
26 25/04/1822 William ADAMS     Elizabeth HOIL Single Bideford
27 08/08/1822 Thomas MITCHELL     Charity EVANS Single  
28 31/08/1822 William STAPLETON     Grace CRAGG    
29 15/05/1824 William SAUNDERCOCK     Ann GLOVER Single  
30 21/06/1824 John Francis Gray MACLEAN Single Barnstaple Sophia Louisa HATHERLY Single  
31 06/08/1824 William HARDING     Ann CRAGG Single  
32 14/04/1825 Thomas TREBELL     Mary STAPLETON Single  
33 23/04/1825 Humphrey GRIFFEY     Frances DARK Single  
34 01/01/1826 John BALCH   Monkleigh Mary MILFORD Single  
35 24/04/1826 John COOK     Elizabeth WILLIAMS    
36 29/04/1827 Noah EASTMAN     Elizabeth COCK Single  
37 19/07/1827 William MULES     Maria SHORT Single  
38 24/10/1827 George EASTMAN Single   Catherine WESTLAKE Single  
39 13/03/1828 John STEER Widower   Frances HOLMAN Widow  
46 17/04/1828 Robert BROCK     Ann HARDING    
47 09/04/1829 William DENNIS   Littleham By Bideford Honour CLARKE Single  
48 30/04/1829 Daniel FULFORD     Gertrude Richards LANG Single  
49 18/02/1830 John PALMER Single Bideford Frances Cock HOLMAN Single  
50 01/03/1830 William CRAIG     Jane GLOVER Single  
51 04/03/1830 Thomas COURTICE     Elizabeth EASTMAN Single  
52 15/04/1830 George DARK     Eleanor FULFORD Single  
53 18/04/1830 Thomas GLOVER     Mary DAY Single  
54 24/05/1830 John BOND     Susanna SANDERCOCK Single  
55 29/06/1830 Thomas HUXHAM     Bessey STONE Single  
56 19/04/1832 Thomas SQUANCE     Mary JOHNS    
57 16/06/1832 Hugh JEWELL     Rebecca WARMAN   Bideford
58 22/07/1832 John MOUNTJOY     Mary Ann FURSMAN    
59 27/03/1833 William ACKLAND     Mary BALSDON    
60 11/04/1833 William BURDICK     Jane HOLMAN    
61 17/04/1833 John BARTHOLOMEW     Sarah POW    
62 24/07/1834 George ALFORD   High Bickington Sally STONE    
63 09/11/1834 Thomas ESSERY     Mary WILLIAMS    
64 14/04/1836 George RODYMAN     Mary FULFORD Single  
65 15/08/1836 James PARKHOUSE   West Down Margaret BROWN    
66 14/11/1836 William PERKIN Single   Ann STONE Single  

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