England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
West Lydford St Peter

The Parish

The parish of West Lydford lies in south central Somerset about 4 miles west of the small town of Castle Cary. West Lydford sits just west of the A37 toad which connects Bath with Exeter and which, here, follows the line of the ancient Roman Road of the Fosse Way. The village straddles the course of the River Brue with main settlement sitting to the south whilst the church sits just north of the fine arched 17th century bridge which spans the river. The main street of the village describes a curve with a general north to south trend and most properties line it. Like most small villages in this area farming would have been the mainstay of the economy and like much of the area that meant pastoral farming of mainly cattle at the time of this transcript. Wast Lydford's position spanning the river gave it access to both the norther and southern edge floodplains of the River Brue and those water-meadows would have provided rich grazing. The Brue drains the parish westwards, crossing the Somerset Levels to reach the Outer Bristol Channel through Highbridge. West Lydford occupies rising ground on the southern side, 18 metres at the bridge becomes almost 30 metres closer to the A37 land rises steadily to the south to almost 50 metres around Foddington. West Lydford parish was fairly typically sized for its area covering just over 1,800 acres and supporting a population of about 350 parishioners. Domesday West Lydford was held by a rare Saxon survivor, Brictric's son Aelfric who received income from assets of 7 ploughs, meadows, pasture & woodland and there was also a mill.

The Church

As already mentioned St Peter's church sits north of the Brue and almost on its very banks, a short driveway connects the site with the main lane through the village. Sadly today's church is not that in which these marriages would have taken place as it is a Victorian replacement completed in 1844 from financing by the local Colston family. The previous medieval church was a Perpendicular styled version and the replacement mirrors that style rather than the more fashionable 13th century Gothic of so many replacement churches. The western tower is slightly set back from the direct line and is an elaborate affair complete with battlements and pinnacles. This is copied in the nave where battlements continue and into the chancel which has a parapet pierced by cusped lozenges and more pinnacles. The whole makes for a highly elaborate church indeed. Immediately after High Street crosses the Brue there is a large church car park enabling safe parking for many vehicles. West of this car park the church sits within a churchyard which is open and uncluttered with no obstacles for the photographer.