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

The Parish

The parish of Peterstone Wentlooge lies in southwestern Monmouthshire forming a stretch of the county's Bristol Channel coastline. Peterstone Wentlooge sits roughly 6 miles southwest of the port of Newport on the B4239 road which hugs the coastline as an alternative route between Newport and Cardiff in Glamorgan other than the busy A48 & M4. Peterstone Wentlooge is a tiny place sitting huddled beneath its sea-bank amongst grazing marshes, a concentration of properties gathered around the former church and a straggle westwards along the B4239. Much of the land is reclaimed marshes with pastures dominant but drier land was also used for arable, some exploitation of the coastal resources did take place as archaeologists have unearthed early fish traps and low tide brought shellfish available. Most parish drainage is man-influenced with a network of drainage channels funneling water to Peterstone Gout and thence to the outer Bristol Channel. Peterstone Wentlooge is sited below 5 metres above the sea, land only begins to rise as the M4 is approached where heights of over 40 metres are dotted here and there. Peterstone Wentlooge parish covered just over 1,900 acres and would have supported a population of around 150 parishioners. Like most of Wales Peterstone Wentlooge is not mentioned in Domesday Book which did not cover this area.

The Church

St Peter's church has been deconsecrated and sold as a private house in 2002. After much uproar the church was sold and has been the subject of a transformation to a luxury abode. Some would say this is a sad fate for a church described by Pevsner as "the queen of the churches on the flat Levels" and the "noblest and most beautiful Perpendicular church in the county". Both the 4-bay nave and the western tower are good examples of the Perpendicular style with both built in a coursed grey limestone with oolitic limestone dressings. CADW attribute the fabric to the mid 15th century, the church, however, was much damaged by a flood of 1606 and had to be restored following that event. The chancel is Victorian having been rebuilt as part of a typical Victorian restoration of 1889-1891, the western tower has also been separately restored in 1910. The former church stands on Church Close but obviously does not have the range of access that pertained prior to its sale, a public footpath skirts the eastern side of the grounds and provides some alternative views from those available at the gates.