England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Wrington All Saints

The Parish

The parish of Wrngton lies in northern Somerset roughly 7 miles north of the town of Cheddar. Wrington is a substantial village lying in the valley formed by the River Yeo and sitting to the north of the Mendip Hills. Wrington sits roughly a mile west of the A38 road which connects Bridgwater with the city of Bristol. Much of Wrington sits on the edges of the Yeo's floodplain and the more modern developments rise up the slopes to the north of that valley. As with many of the parishes in this area farming was a big player in the local economy, here, however, an unusual crop was in production, teasel - grown to support both the local weaving industry and also for transportation to the cloth mills of the north. Beyong this odd crop a mixed farming regime would have been in place as the water-meadows provided good pasture and higher ground grew cereals. Wrington's brief flirtation with modern developments came in the form of a branch railway line since decommissioned. Wrington is drained westwards by the Yeo which reaches the outer Bristol Channel to the north of Weston Super Mare. Wrington spans a fair difference in height from 20 metres on the flood-plain rising to 50 metres in the higher parts, land continues to rise to the north onto limestone high ground reaching close to 200 metres above the sea near to Bristol Airport to the northeast. Wrington parish was one of the largest in its county, covering almost 5,800 acres it is more reminiscent of an upland parish than its neighbours, within that acreage would have resided almost 1,600 parishioners. In Domesday times Wrington was equally important, held by Glastonbury Abbey it was in the largest 20% of settlements recorded and could offer an impressive 28 ploughs, extensive meadows, pastures & woodland and also held 3 profitable mills, a wealthy holding indeed.

The Church

All Saints' church sits on the western side of the village and on the western side of Station Road, a memorial to that lost branch line. The church is immediately notable for its tall and graceful western tower, at 113 feet high an imposing landmark for the village. Whilst most of the church is built in the elaborate Perpendicular style and graced with pinnacles and other flourishes, Pevsner tentatively places as c1300 date on the chancel, if the east window is a correct replica of the original then the church began its construction in the Decorated period and ran onwards into the late 14th century to completion. The church is large as befits the size of its congregation, the nave being augmented with broad aisles and arcades the top decorated with pierced parapets above the typical clerestory. A restoration of 1860 occurred but was clearly light and sensitive, not receiving Pevsner usual criticism. The churchyard can be approached from The Triangle or alternatively from Station Road where parking may be found, a neat lychgate faces Station Road breaking the line of Mendip limestone forming the boundary wall, the churchyard is extensive, needed to adequately capture the soaring western tower.