England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
St Nicholas

The Parish

The parish of St Nicholas lies in southeastern Glamorgan roughly 6 miles west of the city of Cardiff. St Nicholas sits on the A48 road which links Cardiff with Swansea and is a small and compact crossroads settlement with most properties sitting north of the aforesaid A48. St Nicholas has a long history with a cromlech or cairn situated south of the village a record of the presence of early occupation, early gazetteers describe this as the largest in Wales and consists of 5 stones enclosing the former burial site, an impressive sight. Like most parishes within the Vale of Glamorgan St Nicholas would have been supported by farming with a mixed regime in place with the rich fertile soils supporting almost equal measures of each form. A small brook drains the parish northwards to soon join the Afon Elaf (Ely River) where matters quickly turn east and then south to reach the outer Bristol Channel through Cardiff Bay. St Nicholas is sited at around 110 metres above the sea on something of a regional high point which tops out at a spot height of 133 just to the northwest in otherwise gently rolling terrain. At just over 2,100 acres St Nicholas was fairly typically sized for its area and would have supported a population of around 400 parishioners on its fertile ground. Like most of Wales St Nicholas is not mentioned in Domesday Book which did not cover this area.

The Church

St Nicholas' church which grants its name to its village lies just north of the A48 opposite the village green with its war memorial and barely a few tens of yards to the north of the busy main road. This is a church where Victorian restoration has acted to mask much of the medieval dating detail required to give a clear history, what is clear is that the core of the church dates from the 14th century. The best evidence for dating such features is often found in the arches between the main elements and here both the tower arch and chancel arch show clear design styles from the Decorated period of the early 14th century, the western tower is contemporary with that era as is the stairway door. The nave shows windows of the later Perpendicular period but many of these are renewed from Victorian work which mixed motifs from both 14th century styles. The extensive southern chapel has been rebuilt on a few occasions making its origins impossible to discern, it was rebuilt in 1803 as well as in the major Victorian work, it arch has Tudor style features indicating perhaps of the 16th century. The major Victorian restoration fell in 1859/10 and was a thorough piece of work. Parking by the green is possible and close to the lychgate granting entry to the churchyard, the large southern chapel rather compromises views from the south but northern aspects are impeded by trees making a difficult choice for the photographer as to from where to shoot.