England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
St Harmon Parish Church

The Parish

The parish of St Harmon lies in western Radnorshire forming an extensive stretch of the border with neighbouring Montgomeryshire. St Harmon is located roughly 3 miles north of the small town of Rhayader and 8 south of the Montgomeryshire market town of Llanidloes and sits on the B4518 road which connects the two. St Harmon is a village of two halves separated by the bridge across the Afon Marteg, a major tributary of the upper Wye. A southern cluster surrounds the church whilst to the north of the rive lies an inn and more cottages. St Harmon is an upland parish, very extensive with tracts of land above 300 metres, whilst the valley supports cattle the uplands are largely grazed by hardy sheep; in addition to the difficult farming some quarrying of the local slate provided employment too. Traces of Roman involvement in this area can be found, a Roman Road is marked tracing a south to north passage whilst a supposed camp can be found alongside the B4518 to the south of the village. Modern developments came and went from St Harmon, a branch railway line once ran between Llanidloes and Rhayader but is nowadays disused. The Afon Marteg drains the parish southwestwards soon joining the upper Wye, which forms the border between the two counties. The Wye takes a long and meandering course through mid-Wales and Herefordshire before eventually reaching the Bristol Channel through the port of Chepstow. St Harmon is sited at around 270 metres above the sea but sits within a valley surrounded by heights reaching just above 500 metres on nearby Moel Hywel. St Harmon parish, like many upland parishes was very extensive, if largely consistent of poor quality land, covering around 10,000 acres the parish would have supported a population of around 900 parishioners. Like most of Wales St Harmon is not mentioned in Domesday Book which did not cover this area.

The Church

The parish church shares its dedication with the village, St Harmon also known as St Germanus was a 6th century monk. The church sits on the eastern side of the B4518 just south of its crossing of the Afon Marteg and sits within a "llan", its circular churchyard reflecting the site's early Christian origins which largely pre-date today's building. Whilst relatively early structure, in the form of a Tudor 16th century arch into the organ chamber, remains the church was almost totally rebuilt in 1821. Both nave and southern porch date from 1821 whilst the rather stubby chancel was added during a further restoration of 1908 which also saw the Perpendicular style tracery inserted as well as re-ordering the interior. The church is bereft of tower or bellcote, a bell hanging in a neighbouring shed serving to call in the faithful. A short dead-end stub of lane heads east off the B4518 on the southern side of the churchyard enabling careful parking of a single car outside the gates which pierce the local stone wall forming the "llan". The churchyard is devoid of obstacles making for a simple exercise for the photographer.