England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Corfe St Nicholas

The Parish

The parish of Corfe lies in southwestern Somerset not too far from its border with neighbouring Devon. Corfe is located roughly 3 miles south of the market town of Taunton and sits on the B3170 road which links Taunton through to the A303 (London to Exeter) road. Corfe is a small and rather linear village with most properties lining the B3170 for almost a half mile from north to south, in addition a few short dead-end side-lanes hold additional properties. Corfe is a spring-line settlement sitting on the southern edge of Taunton Vale with the limestone escarpment looming above it to both east and south. That limestone was quarried for local building stone and lime-burning in addition to the typical pastoral farming regime of this area of the country. Corfe is drained northwards by the Broughton Brook which meets the Tone to the east of Taunton, the latter eventually joins the Parrett in reaching the outer Bristol Channel through the port of Bridgwater. Corfe is sited at between 75 & 85 metres above the sea on a rising site, the escarpment, however, rises dramatically a further mile to the south topping out at 253 metres on nearby Adcombe Hill. Corfe parish was a small one, barely more than 1,100 acres it would have supported a population of around 250 parishioners. Corfe is not specifically mentioned in Domesday Book it being subsumed within neighbouring Pitminster.

The Church

St Nicholas' church sits toward the northern end of the village tucked away into a side lane, Mill Lane. Sadly the original church, a 12th century Norman edifice, has been removed and today's church, which is too late to be the venue for these marriages, replaced it in 1842. The replacement church, at least, chose to build in a Neo-Norman style in homage to the previous medieval building. Initially the new church incorporated the original 13th century Early English Gothic western tower but even this was further removed in 1858 when the present tower, moved to the northwestern corner, topped with its pyramidal roofing was built. By way of some consolation the 12th century Norman font remains for baptising the village's children. Mill Lane has a broad parking verge on its southern side and outside the churchyard allowing an extended visit. The churchyard has a low wall with hedge topping, a gap at the eastern end allows entry. Once within the churchyard is spacious and has no obstacles for the photographer.