England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Barwell St Mary

The Parish

The parish of Barwell lies in southwestern Leicestershire not too far from its border with neighbouring Warwickshire. Barwell is located about 2 miles northeast of the industrial town of Hinckley and is a large village almost a small town. Barwell sits just west of the A47 road which connects Hinckley with Leicester, more modern communications namely the M69 motorway and the Birmingham to Leicester rail line pass close by and east of Barwell. Barwell has grown extensively in modern times with developments almost joining it not only to Hinckley but merging with neighbouring Earl Shilton. At the time of this transcript Barwell was a substantial village engaged largely in farming and practicing a mixed regime of pastoral and arable; incomes for some families were augmented by the local stocking manufacture industry which also employed many in Barwell. Barwell is drained westwards by the Tweed River which joins, in turn, the Sence, Anker, Tame & Trent eventually making its way to the North Sea through the Humber Estuary. Barwell is sited at around 120 metres above sea level and sits on something of a local height, land falls away to around 80 metres in the nearby river valleys. Barwell parish was one of the larger in its area, it covered just over 2,300 acres and would have supported a population of around 1,600 parishioners. In Domesday times Barwell was held by Coventry Abbey and was a relatively small place boasting just 8 ploughs and some small meadows & woodland.

The Church

St Mary's church sits to the south of most of Barwell's properties on the southern side of Church Lane and backing on to open countryside. The church as described by Pevsner is almost entirely of a single build utilising the Decorated style fashionable in the first half of the 14th century. Only the embattlemented clerestory show later features (Perpendicular) whereas the remainder is faithful to the Decorated style. The church is large with nave augmented by aisles and arcades to accommodate the large population. Like most churches the Victorian era saw some restoration, in this case it was relatively light in touch. Pevsner cites the unusual children seating area as dating from 1854 and the southern aisle was extended to accommodate an organ chamber in 1899. The church sits behind a low brick wall in a setting rather flush to Church Lane and opposite to 20th century property developments, a large parking area permits easy access and metal gates grant access to the churchyard. The churchyard is relatively open and permits uninterrupted angles for photography.