England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Bradley in the Moors St Leonard

The Parish

The parish of Bradley in the Moors. the suffix required to distinguish it from the other Bradley in the county, sits in northeastern Staffordshire about 4 miles east of the small town of Cheadle. Bradley in the Moors sits about 3/4s of a mile south of the B5032 road which links Cheadle with Rocester. Bradley in the Moors is a tiny place, little more than a hamlet, in an upland setting within Staffordshire's portion of the Peak District, a short run of properties lead southeast from the church plus scattered farms and cottages make up this community. Like much of the Peak District there is low-intensity sheep rearing as the main economic activity. Bradley in the Moors is drained southeastwards by a small brook which meets the RiverChurnet just as that river joins the Dove, in turn the Dove meets the Trent and joins in that long journey to the North Sea arriving through the Humber Estuary. Bradley in the Moors is sited at around 170 metres above the sea, to its northwest on the B5032 a spot height of 232 metres marks the local high point. Bradley in the Moors parish was possibly the smallest in its county covering just 650 acres and barely supporting 50 parishioners. Domesday Bradley in the Moors was equally small, held by one Hubert's son Ralph it could muster just 3 ploughs and some meadows & woodland.

The Church

St Leonard's church sits at the northwestern end of the short run of properties tucked away behind cottages and reached, unusually through the garden of Church Cottage. The church is not a medieval one having been completed immediately before the start of this transcript period in 1750. Built in ashlar blocks to the standard layout of nave and chancel with a western tower there is little for Pevsner to remark about or criticise. There has been no significant alteration in the layout or outward appearance since its completion. From the lane which passes the church is hidden but a welcome blue sign announces its presence. Sadly for the photographer the church is set within a veritable forest of conifers and there are very few spots with a clear view, a head-scratcher this one.