England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Peterchurch St Peter

The Parish

The parish of Peterchurch lies in western Herefordshire not too far from the border with neighbouring Breconshire and, hence, Wales. Peterchurch is located roughly 11 miles west of the county town of Hereford and sits on the B4348 road which runs from the Breconshire market town of Hay on Wye towards Ross on Wye. Peterchurch is a small and rather linear village with most properties lying along the B4348. The village is somewhat constrained in this respect as it sits within the "Golden Valley" of the River Dore, a narrow slot of a valley between higher ground to both east and west. Despite being a relatively upland parish, the local farming economy was substantially arable with oats being the main crop, pastures would have dominated the valley floor, with characteristic Herefordshire cattle, whilst higher ground would have supported sheep. Modern developments have come and gone from Peterchurch, a branch railway line once linked the village with the main Hereford to Abergavenny route but has since been removed. The River Dore drains the parish southwards, meeting the Monnow at the Monmouthshire border it continues to Monmouth where the Wye is met, the latter reaching the sea through the outer Bristol Channel at Chepstow. Peterchurch is sited at around 120 metres above the sea but lies within the Dore valley land rises away from the river in strongly rolling countryside to local heights of around 250 metres to the east whilst to the west land rises into the foothills of the Brecon Beacons at 433 metres on nearby Vagar Hill. Peterchurch parish was one of the largest in its county in acreage, covering almost 7,000 acres it would have supported a population of around 750 parishioners. In Domesday times Peterchurch was recorded under the nearby manor of Almundestune, a holding of the amusingly named Hugh the Ass it was a rather small manor offering merely a pair of ploughs as its total assets.

The Church

St Peter's church occupies a site almost in the river Dore, right beside the stream and accessed by the partial road and partial footpath of Church Road which crosses the valley floor. St Peter is definitely a church with ancient origins, the 12th century is well-represented by preserved fabric and designs. Pevsner speculates that the church would, at one time, have been graced with a central crossing tower, a curious square section occupies the space between nave and chancel and is likely to have been the base of such a tower. Norman Romanesque style abounds, despite later modification and Victorian restoration. The unusual layout is compounded by nave, square section and chancel being augmented by an eastern apse all basically 12th century or restored but based on an original 12th century date. The western tower is, however, a later addition, its lofty height makes it a landmark along the Golden Valley, which Pevsner dates as begun c1300. At one time it bore a 14th century recessed spire but this was taken down in 1949 and today's replacement is, curiously, of reinforced plastic over a steel framework and as Pevsner states "rather anaemic in colour". That 20th century work followed a significant but sensitive Victorian restoration of 1869 to complete today's church. Church Road is narrow but with a pavement alongside the entrance permitting a short stay. The low sandstone walls surrounding the churchyard have a pair of wooden gates for entry. Sadly the church sits within the southeastern corner of the churchyard removing that favoured aspect but provided it is not sunny all the other angles are available for the photographer.

Plain, unruled book containing combined Banns & Marriages