England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Monnington on Wye St Mary

The Parish

The parish of Monnington on Wye lies in central western Herefordshire, as its name suggests alongside the River Wye and about 8 miles west of Hereford. Monnington on Wye sits at the end of dead-end road a mile south of the A438 road which connects Hereford with Brecon. There is not much to Monnington on Wye just a grouping of farms and cottages sitting amongst pastures and orchards alongside the Wye which wanders through the parish around a quarter mile to the south of the hamlet. At the time of this transcript pastoral farming and cider orchards would have been the predominant economy and little has changed since. The Wye drains eastwards to eventually reach the Bristol Channel through Chepstow. Monnington on Wye is sited at around 60 metres above sea level, it sits on the floodplain of the Wye but local landmark, Garnons Hill, rises to 233 metres just a couple of miles away and dominates the local scenery. Monnington on Wye parish was relatively small, it covered about 1,000 acres and would have supported a population of fewer than 100 parishioners. In Doomsday times Monnington on Wye was held by one Ralph of Tosny and could offer just 6 ploughs.

The Church

St Mary's church sits at the eastern end of the hamlet close to the Wye, the footpath leading to it is part of the Wye Valley Walk, a trail which follows the river from source to sea. The church has its origins in the Perpendicular era but little remains of that period following an extensive rebuild in 1679-1680 at the behest of the Tomkyns family. They retained the mediaeval plan of nave, chancel and western tower but added the northern porch. Pevsner states that the church is "uncommonly complete in structure & fittings" for that Stuart period, something of a novelty when so much is mediaeval around it. Monnington's lane ends at some farms but is motorable down to a small car park by the church. It is accessed on foot to the south of the farm following the Wye Valley Way, the site is compromised by trees on both northern and southeastern sides so photographic angles are somewhat restricted.