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

The Parish

The parish of Wornbridge lies in southwestern Herefordshire not too far from the border with neighbouring Monmouthshire and hence with Wales. Wormbridge is located roughly 9 miles southwest of the county town of Hereford and sits on the A465 road which connects Hereford with Abergavenny. Wormbridge is a tiny place, a real blink-and-miss settlement which merely has a few farms and cottages scattered across its small acreage. A tiny grouping at Wormbridge Common probably represents the most significant area of property whilst along the A465 the few properties scarcely merit the speed restriction in place. The area is dominated by the famous Herefordshire cattle, beef cattle in the main with extensive pasturage in mostly small fields. Modern developments have come to Wormbridge, the railway line connecting Hereford with Abergavenny passing through to the south. The Worm Brook drains Wormbridge southwestwards, joining in turn the Dore, the Monnow and finally the Wye before reaching the outer Bristol Channel through the port of Chepstow. Wormbridge is sited at around 100 metres above the sea in rolling countryside where local heights rise, to the south, to just over 200 metres within 2- 3 miles. Wormbridge parish was one of Herefordshire's numerous tiny parishes, covering just 700 acres it would have supported a population of just under 100 parishioners. Wormbridge is not mentioned in Domesday Book.

The Church

St Peter's church sits on the eastern side of the A465 a little over a quarter mile south of the majority of Wormbridge's properties. The church certainly has ancient origins with Pevsner noting the Norman Romanesque style northern doorway of c1200 as the oldest feature of the building. Whilst this piece is of the turn of that century much else is toward the latter stages of the 13th century and Early English Gothic in origin. The 13th century nave shows the lancet windows of that era and the lower stages of the western tower are also 13th century. Like most churches a Victorian restoration took place with the major works being the almost complete rebuilding of the chancel, showing a faux-Decorated style window from that work. Also added in the 1858 restoration was the landmark broach spire which gives the church much of its character for travellers along the A465. Thankfully the church's site is marked by a lay-by which enables parking away from the busy main road. The churchyard has a low local stone wall backed by hedging with gates at the southern end. The churchyard is open, uncluttered and completely free of obstacles for the photographer.