England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Staunton by Newent St James

The Parish

The northern border of Gloucestershire with neighbouring Worcestershire was once a confusing area of fretted boundaries with detached enclaves and exclaves as well as peninsulas of land penetrating each other. Various reorganisations occurred over the years in 1931 the parish of Staunton was moved from Worcestershire into Gloucestershire, a side effect was the requirement to add a suffix to distinguish this Staunton from that already in the county. Staunton is located roughly 8 miles southeast of the Herefordshire market town of Ledbury and sits on the A417 which connects Ledbury with Gloucester. Much of Staunton is built along the A417 and it almost runs into its neighbouring parish of Corse. The area was fertile and soils easily worked so arable farming was the principal economy albeit with some pastoral farming as well as orcharding present. Small streams drain Staunton southwestwards into the nearby River Leaden, the latter joining the Severn just north of Gloucester and making its way to the sea through the Severn Estuary. Staunton is sited at around 20 metres above the sea in fairly gentle terrain where the isolated hill of Corse Wood Hill at 86 metres really stands out. A typically sized lowland rural parish, Staunton covered roughly 1,400 acres and would have supported a population of around 400 parishioners. Staunton is not specifically mentioned in Domesday Book.

The Church

St James' church sits west of the main village adjacent to Staunton Court, a late 16th century moated house, and stands picturesquely above the duck ponds making for an attractive view. The church is one which Pevsner describes as "severely restored" with little remaining to show its early medieval origins. A few courses of herring-bone masonry in the nave indicate a church here from the 12th century, a characteristic pattern of Norman Romanesque work. The church was clearly rebuilt in the 14th century in a Perpendicular style, Pevsner points to the Decorated style features as being Victorian. The western tower is a notable feature with its recessed spire setting it off beautifully. That restoration took place in 1860 and besides modifying most of the windows it rebuilt the chancel and added the northern vestry and southern porch. The church is accessed by the road to Staunton Court and has ample room for parking outside, the church sits close to the southern edge of the churchyard enabling better views for the photograher from outside the latter, the view across the duck ponds being a must.