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

The Parish

The parish of Kelston lies in the extreme northeast of Somerset, quite close to the county's border with neighbouring Gloucestershire, and roughly 4 miles northwest of the city of Bath. Kelston sits on the A431 road which connects Bath and Bristol north of the course of the River Avon. Kelston is a small village with most properties lying along the A431 or along the dog-legged lane headed westwards towards the church. Kelston is a valley side settlement, gentle slopes which are largely pastures lead down to the Avon whilst steeper slopes rise eastwards onto the terminal range of the Cotswolds, more favoured by sheep. Those hills bring most visitors to the parish as the Cotswold Way National Trail wends its way to its conclusion at Bath Abbey. Modern developments have come and largely gone from the parish, a parallel railway line to Brunel's Great Western main line once trailed the northern banks of the Avon through Kelston parish, it is now closed but part is run as the heritage steam line of the Avon Valley Railway. The Avon drains the parish westwards passing through Bristol to the Bristol Channel under the Avon Gorge Bridge. Kelston is sited at around 70 metres above the sea, some 60 metres above the Avon, but land rises steeply eastwards reaching 238 metres within a mile at Bath's racecourse. Kelston parish was a small one covering barely 1,000 acres and supporting a population of close to 250 parishioners. Kelston is not mentioned in Domesday Book.

The Church

St Nicholas' church sits at the termination of the dog-legged lane that ends at its gates and those of Manor Farm. St Nicholas has fabric dating from the 13th and 14th centuries but was heavily restored in Victorian times so as to almost having received a rebuild. The western tower is the element retaining most of the fabric from the Early English Gothic period of the13th century, both the broad tower and its internal tower arch being of this era. albeit the belfry lights are 15th century and Perpendicular. Much less is representative of the 14th century Decorated style which followed, merely some border-work for a nave window. Like the tower's belfry a few other windows show Perpendicular modifications. Much of the remainder dates from the restoration of 1860, a restoration that Pevsner terms "ruthless" so much so that Historic England term it a rebuild. The lane which leads to the church is very narrow with confining property walls and no easy facility for turning, ample parking sits at its entrance, it is only a short walk. From the gates a diagonal path leads to the church which stands within an uncluttered churchyard with no obstacles for the photographer.