England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Norton Malreward Holy Trinity

The Parish

The parish of Norton Malreward lies in northern Somerset not too far from its border with neighbouring Gloucestershire and roughly 6 miles south of the city of Bristol. Norton Malreward sits just over a mile west of the A37 road which links Bristol with Shepton Mallet. Norton Malreward is a linear village tucked away in a side valley on the slopes of Maes Knoll, the village stretching for roughly 3.4s of a mile from the course of the Wansdyke southwestwards. Both Maes Knoll hill-fort which encloses a 30 acre triangular Iron Age settlement and the linear feature of the Wansdyke, believed to have been designed to limit the advance of Saxon invaders in post Roman times, testify to a long history of settlement in the area. Like most Somerset parishes the predominant farming method would have been pastoral, this was supplemented by the exploitation of the local stone for building. Norton Malreward is drained southwards by a small stream which soon runs into the River Chew where water turns eastwards and then north to reach the Avon at Keynsham, water is then  moved back westwards to pass through Bristol and the Avon Gorge to the outer Bristol Channel. Norton Malreward is sited on steeply rising ground, the southwestern end at 50 metres whilst the northeastern end tops 100 metres above the sea, Maes Knoll looms above to the north reaching 199 metres, the highest land between Norton Malreward and Bristol. Norton Malreward was a small parish covering just over 1,050 acres which would only have supported a population of around 100 parishioners. Domesday Norton Malreward, held by Bishop Geoffrey of Coutances, was of a similar size able only to muster 4 ploughs, it did have some meadows and woodland and also a mill.

The Church

Holy Trinity church sits away from the main street, Church Road, accessed behind fronting properties by shady footpaths. This is a church much altered during the 19th century restoration, only 2 features remain from the medieval period indicating that  the church was once "an ancient structure, chiefly in the Norman style" as described by early gazetteers. The sole remaining fabric from the 12th century Norman Romanesque period is the chancel arch which has elaborate carvings of that era. The western tower is from the 15th century and is solidly Perpendicular in style. Everything else of the church dates from the substantial restoration, almost a rebuild, of 1861. Church Road is widened where the footpath sets off to the churchyard allowing safe off-road parking. The footpath of perhaps 100 very shady yards leads to a compact churchyard which, too, has much shade from the numerous trees, the photographer needs to scout around for some time to find the better views.