England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Pinner St John the Baptist

The Parish

The parish of Pinner lies in the extreme northwest of Middlesex forming a stretch of the county's border with neighbouring Hertfordshire. Pinner is located roughly 3 miles northwest of Harrow on the Hill and sits about a half mile south of the A404 road which links Harrow on the Hill with the Hertfordshire town of Rickmansworth. Pinner is a much changed place, early maps show a compact village spread along today's High Street from the railway to the church with satellite settlements at both East and West End, whilst to the northwest lay Pinner Green, all of the above surrounded by open countryside. Pinner's growth from village to suburb is largely a product of the coming of the London Underground, part of the phase of expansion of Greater London which was know as "Metroland" after the Metropolitan line which terminated at Uxbridge but gave Pinner a station. Today Pinner is contiguous with the rest of Greater London with the open countryside but a memory as urban development has pushed way out into Hertfordshire in this direction. At the time of this transcript Pinner would have been a farming parish, growing cereals together with market gardening supplying the fruit and vegetables needed to support the capital. Pinner is drained southwestwards by the River Pinn which meanders its way through suburbs to reach the Colne at Yiewsley, the Colen soon joins the Thames and water turns back eastwards through the capital to the North Sea. Pinner is sited at around 60 metres above the sea in gentle terrain rising gradually up to 134 metres to the north at Oxhey Woods. Like many of outer Middlesex' parishes Pinner was quite extensive covering around 3,700 acres, its population reached 1,300 parishioners by the end of the transcript period but was growing fast, the volume of marriages found is more consistent with an average population of close to half of that figure. Pinner is not mentioned in Domesday Book.

The Church

St John's church sits at the eastern end of the High Street within the old village, it is set just into Church Lane from the junction with High Street. St John's was formerly a chapelry of Harrow on the Hill becoming its own parish only in 1766. The church, itself, is, however, much older as revealed by its cruciform design, a design favoured by early church builders. Documentary evidence indicates a dedication took place in 1321 and fabric in the northeastern wall may well be of the 13th century Early English Gothic. Much of the fabric is, however, from the early 14th century and Decorated in style, this may reflect a rebuilding during that period culminating in the re-dedication of an earlier church. The main body is of this period but the western tower, in a Perpendicular style is of the 15th century, curiously placed rather than as a central crossing tower. Contemporary with the tower are the 4-bay nave arcades also in late Perpendicular styling. There was much change in the Victorian period with a southern chapel added in 1859, this chapel was lengthened in 1880 during the major restoration which also saw the replacement of most windows with Bath stone surrounds. Even into the 20th century there were additions as the vestry was only rebuilt in 1958. Church Lane, itself, has no parking but for the fortunate there are some on High Street. The western tower sits flush to the roadside so is best viewed from there, the churchyard has close adjacent buildings to north, east and south which make for a cramped site limiting the aspects available to the photographer.