England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Maisemore St Giles

The Parish

The parish of Maisemore lies in northwestern Gloucester roughly 3 miles north of the city of Gloucester, itself. Maisemore sits on the A417 road which connects Gloucester with the market town of Ledbury in Herefordshire. Maisemore sits at the crossing point over the River Severn and stretches westwards along that main road for over a half mile, subsidiary settlements may be found around the church and at Maisemore Park, the 19th century mansion. Maisemore has a rather vulnerable position with regard to the often temperamental Severn, despite an upstream weir flooding has been a constant companion. As a benefit, however, the flood-plain of the Severn gave the parish rich grazing and a thriving cattle rearing farming tradition. In more modern times the proximity to the county city has expanded Maisemore considerably with a prestigious modern development by the church as well as developments along the A417, itself. Maisemore is, of course, drained southwards by the Severn which eventually forms the Bristol Channel. Maisemore is sited at between 5 metres at the Severn Bridge and 25 metres at its higher western end, land continues rising along the A417's route with a few spots exceeding 60 metres nearer Hartpury. Maisemore parish covered a little under 1,800 acres making it fairly typically sized for its area, that acreage would have supported a population of close to 400 parishioners. Maisemore is not mentioned in Domesday Book.

The Church

St Giles' church sits a quarter mile north of the A417 accessed along Church Road. Sadly most of this church is relatively modern and, indeed, post-dates the marriages in this transcript. The only remaining medieval pieces are the western tower and southern porch. Both of these medieval pieces are from the Perpendicular era with the 3-stage western tower having been constructed in the late 14th and early 15th centuries. The southern porch is a later addition which Pevsner assigns to c1500. However the main body of the church was built and added to during the Victorian period. Work undoubtedly started at the eastern end as the chancel is documented as completed in 1851 in a Decorated style which may be sympathetic to its predecessor. In 1868 & 1869 major work was done, the chancel arch was replaced, both northern aisle and vestry were added and the nave completely rebuilt and rock-faced. Church Road ends at a broad plain where church & executive home development may be found, outside the churchyard a gravelled area allows safe parking. The church sits well back in its churchyard approached by a tarred path through a churchyard with no significant obstacles for the photographer.