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

The Parish

The parish of Blidworth lies in western central Nottinghamshire about 5 miles southeast of the town of Mansfield. Blidworth sits about 2 miles east of the A60 road which connects Mansfield with Nottingham and sits astride the B6020 road which loops east and then north from that thoroughfare. Blidworth parish also contained the equally large settlement of Rainsworth. Blidworth & Rainsworth have expanded greatly as a result of the development of the deep coal mines of Nottinghamshire, those mines are sadly now depleted and closed leaving a postindustrial community of colliery terraced housing augmenting the original villages. The area was once a thriving centre, too, for the framework knitting of stockings, lace & glove making as well as having the normal agricultural activities. In mediaeval times Blidworth was one of the haunts of the semi-legendary character of Robin Hood being part of the immense Sherwood Forest which covered much of the county north of its county town. Blidworth is drained northeastwards by the Rainsworth Water which joins the Maun at Ollerton, the Idle south of Retford & Trent north of Gainsborough to reach the North Sea through the Humber Estuary. Blidworth is sited at around 150 metres above the sea on a ridge of land, the modern colliery settlements being some 40 metres lower, this high position represents something of a local height as land falls away eastwards towards the Trent plains, it is some distance westwards before ground rises to the Peak District. Blidworth parish was one of the larger by area in Nottinghamshire, it covered 5,300 acres and would have supported a growing population at the time of this transcript, rising to over 1,100 parishioners by the start of Victoria's reign. In Domesday times Blidworth was a relatively small place, held by the Archbishop of York it could muster just 5 ploughs, a small area of woodland but did possess a mill.

The Church

St Mary's church sits within the old centre of Blidworth high on its ridge with commanding views, sitting on the southern side of the B6020. Sadly little remains of the mediaeval in this church which was almost completely rebuilt in 1739. The largest remaining piece is the western 15th century Perpendicular tower, albeit it, too, is much restored. Despite its relatively recent completion there has still been time for restoration, the eastern end of the chancel being rebuilt in 1839. The church sits behind a chest-height sandstone wall with gates at the eastern end. The B6020 has no immediate parking but the nearby Bird in Hand Inn has space if one asks. The churchyard is quite cramped and to the south woodland sits very close restricting the angles available for photography somewhat.