England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Teversal St Katharine

The Parish

The parish of Teversal lies in the extreme west of Nottinghamshire forming a lengthy stretch of the county's border with neighbouring Derbyshire. Teversal is located a little over 4 miles west of the industrial town of Mansfield and sits a half mile north of the B6014 road which links Mansfield through to Matlock in Derbyshire. Teversal sits as an oasis of rural calm within what is a very industrialised landscape, a narrow winding lane leads to a short run of properties with a second to its south enclosing the churchyard. The parish has two other small settlements, Fackley is a crossroads village sitting upon the B6014 with more modern developments to the southeast along that road, Stanley is a small farming hamlet just under 2 miles to the west bordering the parkland of Hardwick Park, one of the Duke of Devonshire's estates. Whilst much of this area was engaged until recent times in coal mining efforts were abandoned in early times within Teversal and its was totally agricultural at the time of this transcript, roughly equal proportions were pastoral and arable with a smaller area of managed woodland. Modern developments were all associated with removal of hewn coal, a network of railway line surrounded Teversal on all sides all now closed and left to moulder with only bridges and cuttings as reminder of the past. Teversal is drained northeastwards by the infant River Meden which eventually meets the Maun and the two then become the Idle south of East Retford, the Idle initially heads north then east to meet the Trent just before it reaches the Humber Estuary and then the North Sea. Teversal is sited on a hilltop at 160 metres above the sea with Fackley 10 metres lower and Stanley 20 metres further lower, land rises both to the north and westwards across the nearby M1 motorway reaching 180 metres at a few local high points. Teversal parish was typically sized for this area, covering 2,500 acres it would have supported a population of close to 400 parishioners. In Domesdat times Teversal was a much smaller and rural manor of just 10 households, one Hubert's son Ralph held the manor with assets of 5 ploughs, typical meadows and woodland and there was a mill.

The Church

St Katharine's church sits in the heart of the small village within the parcel of land between and the access road to Manor Farm. The church has very early fabric remaining from the 12th century, Pevsner derives this from the fact the 13th century basal stages of the western tower is cut into the existing fabric thus placing the latter earlier, it is almost certainly from the 12th century Norman Romanesque period. The basic 12th century nave and chancel were enhanced in the 13th century early English Gothic period by the addition of arcades and aisles, the southern pre-dating the northern. The western tower, with the exception of the contrasting ashlar top-most stages and pinnacles, is also 13th century; the topping being added probably in the 17th century. The later medieval period of the Perpendicular saw a clerestory inserted and a southern aisle chapel added. It was the 17th century addition of lavish furnishings that moves Pevsner to write that the church "was one of the most rewarding village churches in the county", they are certainly worth a visit in themselves. A typical Victorian restoration took place in 1889 without meriting additional comment from Pevsner. There is on-verge parking in Buttery Lane to the church's north, an extensive churchyard provides the photographer with the full portfolio of views without hindrance.