England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
East Harptree St Lawrence

The Parish

The parish of East Harptree lies in northern Somerset roughly 8 miles north of the city of Wells and sitting on the northern slopes of the Mendip Hills. East Harptree sits on and mainly southwest of the B3114 road, a linking road joining the A39 (Bath to Wells) road with the A368 (Bath to Weston super Mare) road. East Harptree is a linear village with a small presence on the B3114 but its main road climbs steadily southwestwards onto the Mendip Hills lined with properties for almost a mile, it is flanked by twin side lanes also lined with properties. East Harptree is a parish which was heavily involved in the extractive industries, the Mendip Hill provided high quality limestone for decorative work in building but it was the associated minerals which attracted miners with both lead and manganese the main attractions. As a consequence the northern slopes of the Mendips are bestrewn with, mainly abandoned, mine-shafts. The wider parish was primarily a pastoral one with early gazetteers estimating as much as 80% of the total acreage as set to pasture. East Harptree is drained northwards by a tributary of the infant River Chew which joins many others in the modern Chew Valley Lake reservoir not too far to the north, a major wildlife asset as well as a source of water for nearby Bristol & Bath, emerging from the reservoir the Chew turns northeast to meet the Avon at Keynsham before passing through its iconic gorge to the outer Bristol Channel. East Harptree sits on a steeply rising site, the few properties on the B3114 standing at around 80 metres above the sea whilst those at the southwestern end are at 150 metres, land continues to rise onto the Mendip's top reaching 290 metres at Eaker Hill and 294 at the Devil's Punch Bowl. East Harptree parish was more extensive than most Somerset parishes, covering just under 2,600 acres it would have supported a population of close to 750 parishioners. In Domesday times East Harptree was shared between Bishop Geoffrey of Coutances and Count Robert of Mortain, collectively their assets amounted to 9 ploughs, extensive meadows, pasture & woodland and each had control of a mill making for a relatively prosperous settlement even then.

The Church

St Lawrence's church sits towards the lower end of the village tucked away at The Cross opposite one of the village's inns, The Waldegrave Arms. St Lawrence is a church with ancient origins and some remnants of that early era remaining, of the 12th century and Norman Romanesque in style is the southern doorway complete with characteristic roll moulding. Billet moulding is also found in the chancel but here the majority of the style betrayed is of the slightly later 13th century Early English Gothic, a former triple lancet window was, regrettably, replaced with 19th century tracery. The remainder of the church is tribute to the wealth of post Black Death England, mainly from the 15th century and in the Perpendicular style of that century. Pevsner dates the northern aisle to the latter half of this century, a date which is consistent with the style of the nave's southern window. The western tower is later still, perhaps 16th century, it has two tiers of small Tudor-style lights whilst its parapet is confidently dated even later to 1633. Also 16th century is the rather plain southern porch. As is common there was a typical Victorian restoration which made many changes, this fell in the early 1880s to complete today's church. Immediately outside the gates is a small parking area with room for perhaps 3 cars. Once within the churchyard there are no significant obstacles for the photographer.