England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Ebrington St Eadburga

The Parish

The parish of Ebrington is located in the extreme northeast of the county of Gloucestershire indeed it forms part of the rather fretted border with not only Warwickshire (a detached parish) but also Worcestershire. In this corner the three counties boundaries (prior to 1974 reorganisation) were rather complicated. Ebrington is sited about 2 miles north of the market town of Chipping Campden and is located on a lane which lies to the north and parallel with the B4035 which connects Chipping Campden to the Worcestershire market town of Shipston on Stour. This is Cotswold Hills country par excellence, a rolling limestone set of hills that stretch all the way from the southern Midlands down to the border with Somerset. Ebrington is mainly built with the honey-coloured stone characteristic of the district and is rather "picture-postcard" as a result. In former times this was sheep country with their wool making the area wealthy, nowadays there is a growing proportion under arable though it suits the stony soils less without modern fertiliser support. Ebrington is sited at around 150 metres above sea level although land rises to the north to Ebrington Hill at 259 metres it is quite a local eminence. The drainage is largely heading south then east to form part of headwaters of the River Stour a tributary of the Avon. The parish was substantial, at 2,800 acres, and supported around 550 parishioners. In Domesday times, too, this was a substantially wealthy parish supporting 18 ploughs and 2 mills all was held by one William Goizenboded.

The Church

St Eadburga's church is sited to the west of the village centre, accessed along a walled footpath from the triangular village green. The church has three basic ages, the oldest being the nave which shows the original building as having been begun in the immediate post-Conquest period. The nave shows many Norman features including diaper work and chevron moulding. The next period, 13th century, covers both the south aisle added to the nave and towards the end of that century the chancel. The final addition was the western tower added during the Perpendicular building period that characterises much of the Cotswolds. As usual the Victorian's got to work with their restorations but thankfully here their touch was lighter than most. The church sits in a well-wooded graveyard which is largely put to rough grass, part being preserved as a nature reserve. A tranquil setting thanks to the long access route from the village.