England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Thorley St James

The Parish

The parish of Thorley lies in the extreme east of Hertfordshire forming a stretch of the county's border with neighbouring Essex. Thorley is located roughly 2 miles south of the town of Bishops Stortford and sits either side of the A1184 road which forms Bishops Stortford's western bypass and heads onwards to Sawbridgeworth. Thorley is a rather small settlement, early maps show 2 distinct clusters, arranged along a dead-end lane leading in from Bishops Stortford, a cluster sat around the rectory and further southwest a larger cluster around the church and hall (the hall's origins go back to the late13th or early 14th centuries and began life as a timber-framed hall-house). Today Thorley has almost become engulfed by Bishops Stortford with its former northern cluster now merely a southern suburb of that town. Like most Hertfordshire parishes it was arable farming that underpinned Thorley's economy, a rotational system in place at the time of this transcript has morphed over the modern period into a cereal based monoculture. Modern developments have come to the area, the Stort Navigation canalised the nearby river and aided the transportation of the produce to the London Market, late the Bishops Stortford to London railway line followed a similar line through the east of the parish. Thorley is drained southwards by the Stort which meets with the Lea to pass through eastern Greater London reaching the outer Thames estuary and thence to the North Sea. Thorley is sited at around 80 metres above the sea in gently undulating countryside, a few spots within western Bishops Stortford come close to breaching the 100 metre contour as the highest local ground. Covering just over 1,500 acres Thorley parish was typically sized for this area and would have supported a population of close to 400 parishioners. In Domesday times two landholders shared Thorley, the majority stake being held by Geoffrey de Mandeville, assets of 11 ploughs were backed by meadows & woodland and a mill to indicate a mid-sized farming manor of the times.

The Church

St James' church stands alongside the hall at the end of Church Lane which leaves Bishops Stortford heading southwestwards and crosses over the bypass to reach the church. The church has its origins in the 12th century although only the Norman Romanesque southern doorway remains from those early times. The main body of the church the aisleless nave and chancel are both from the 13th century Early English Gothic period and have preserved the characteristic lancet styles windows of that era. There is some doubt over the age of the chancel arch but Pevsner believed it to be also 13th century.  Standing to the west is the later 15th century Perpendicular styled western tower complete with a stair-turret and topped with a typical spike. Like most churches there was a Victorian restoration, here in 1855 which replaced the roofing and added a northern vestry and southern porch, further work of 1863 merely replaced the east window. Church Lane becomes merely a footpath beyond the church, followed by the local Hertfordshire Way Trail, but ends in a substantial car park allowing a relaxed visit. The churchyard is busy with trees making for a limited set of adequate viewpoints, the photographer will need to scout around for the best angles.