England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Wembury St Werburgh

The Parish

The parish of Wembury lies in the extreme southwest of Devon forming lengthy stretch of the county's English Channel coastline, not only directly with the sea but to its east the drowned river valley, or ria, of the River Yealm. Wembury is located roughly 5 miles south of the town of Plympton and sits over 3 miles south of the A379 road which links Plymouth with Kingsbridge. Whilst the village is large much of that comes from modern developments, early maps show nothing where today's concentration lies, the three hamlets of Down Thomas, Langdon Barton & Knighton formed the only substantial clusters of properties. A small group of properties sat at the seafront alongside the church but most were to support the small pilchard fleet that fished from here despite the dangerous Blackstone Rocks. Inland the parish was farmed principally in typical Devon pastoral land. Today Wembury's coastal location makes it a great draw for both commuters working in nearby Plymouth but also a draw for the second home & holiday let markets. Many tourists flock to its sandy bay and hikers passing along the South West Coast National Trail also seek respite from the inn before heading for the tricky logistics of crossing the Yealm. A small and fast flowing stream border the village to the west and drains the parish into the English Channel. Wembury is sited between sea-level and and 100 metres above it, land reaches the local high spot above Jennycliff Bay at 126 metres, the highest ground around. Wembury parish was  typically sized for its area covering just under 2,600 acres that would have supported a population of close to 600 parishioners. Whilst Wembury is not specifically mentioned in Domesday Book the manors of Langdon & Down Thomas both sits within the bounds of the parish, both were held by Iudhael of Totnes and collectively they offerd just 5 ploughs, some meadows & pastures.

The Church

St Werburgh's church sits in a stunning location almost on the beach itself, the main access road to the beach car park has a forking dead-end lane that heads for the church, otherwise it can be readily reached from that beach car park. The church is a product of the later medieval period, the western tower being the earliest fabric retained from the 14th century, whilst Perpendicular in style it lacks typical pinnacles but has battlements and a stair turret. The main body of the church has both nave and chancel built as one during a substantial rebuild from the 15th century, the Perpendicular styled 5-light east window being the most impressive feature. The church has both aisles and arcades both emanating from the same 15th to early 16th century rebuild, the southern aisle is impressively long , almost the combined length of the nave and chancel. A typical Victorian restoration came in 1885 and merely refreshed the church without substantially changing or adding features. The dead-end lane widens to a substantial car park outside the gates, the churchyard has no significant obstacles for the photographer.