England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
East Bridgford St Peter

The Parish

The parish of East Bridgford lies in southeastern Nottinghamshire roughly 9 miles east of the city of Nottingham and sitting on the eastern banks of the River Trent. East Bridgford is a substantial village which sits squeezed into the space between the busy A46 (which follows the ancient Roman Fosse way) and the Trent, the A46 being no more than a half mile to the village's east. East Bridgford, has historical Roman connections, the Roman town of Margidunum marking the junction of the Fosse Way with the Roman's crossing point of the Trent being just a mile to the south, the area is well known for turning up relics of the Roman era. East Bridgford would have a varied economy, the Trent provided the means of shipping local produce along its course and also rich water-meadows alongside, arable farming dominated higher ground whilst the villages were also engaged in the local stocking weaving industry to some extent. The Trent drains the parish northwards, eventually reaching the North Sea through the Humber Estuary. East Bridgford sits on a shelf above the Trent valley at around 40 metres above the sea, the escarpment against which the Trent is turned northwards continues to rise northwards reaching over 70 metres within a mile or two. East Bridgford parish was fairly typically sized for southern Nottinghamshire, covering just under 1,800 acres it would have supported a population of close to 1,100 parishioners. In Domesday times East Bridgford was equally substantial, held by Roger de Bully it could offer 14 ploughs and some meadows.

The Church

St Peter's church sits at the western end of the village at the junction of Kirk Hill & Trent Lane. A church is mentioned here in Domesday Book and enterprising excavations in the early 20th century uncovered the foundations of a cruciform church from the 11th century, that early church has been completely removed over the centuries. It's replacement, built in the Transitional style of the late 12th century has also almost been removed but a trace remains in the present chancel. All was swept away during the great church-building era of the 14th century in both Decorated and Perpendicular styles to make a typical church of lowland Britain. Despite these changes work continued onward through the centuries, a clerestory was added in the 15th century to improve internal lighting whilst the chancel was buttressed in the 17th century indicating trouble with settlement. The 18th century saw major change with the transepts removed from the building and the western tower rebuilt, the present standard form of nave, chancel & western tower being adopted from that date. Restoration work followed in 3 campaigns, the first conducted by the usual Victorian restorers in 1862 and in the 20th century campaigns in the 1900s and 1910s completed the hotch-potch that is today's building. The main entrance with it open lychgate sits on Kirk Hill which has street parking, the churchyard elevated above road height and banked by low brick walling is relatively uncluttered and with few obstacles to the photographer.