England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
St Marylebone Holy Trinity

The Parish

The parish of Holy Trinity was created in 1828 from the wider parish of St Marylebone in 1828 as a result of the growing population of this part of London. St Marylebone parish lies in southern Middlesex on the border with the City of London itself. St Marylebone was a rural area until 1715 whence London began to spill over beyond the ancient city boundaries. Between 1715 and the end of the 18th century the population grew exponentially. Maps of 1745 shows the area as still largely un-built but by the end of that century much of the southern half of the parish had become contiguous with London. Growth continued into the 19th century and the wider parish was subdivided with the addition of 4 new sub-parishes by the reign of Queen Victoria. Today the area is intrinsically part of central London, Marylebone Road forming a traffic-fumed part of London's inner ring road. There is no obvious surface drainage to the parish, all streams being taken below ground level. St Marylebone is sited at around 20 metres above the sea on the first level of river terraces above the Thames, land rises to local heights of almost 100 metres on nearby Parliament Hill. Holy Trinity parish was a relatively small area, covering just a few city blocks, like many London parishes. There is no specific mention of St Marylebone in Domesday Book.

The Church

Holy Trinity Church sits on the Marylebone Road with traffic roaring past its southward facing aspect. No longer used for worship it is a prestigious event location, but still staging marriages albeit secular these days. The church was erected in 1828 to serve the growing population of the area. The style is italian-esque with ionic and Tuscan style columns both externally and within. Unusually the altar would have stood at the northern end of the building rather than in the usual eastern position. The frontal portico and the buildings circular stone cupola give it a feel less like a church than many. As Holy Trinity sits on a very busy road and is right opposite Great Portland Tube Station this is a church best approached on foot, flush with the much-trodden pavements the building is separated by short posts and a neatly trimmed hedge, unfortunately on every side bar that southern aspect trees enclose the building tightly severely restricting the angles available for photography.