England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Rolleston St Mary

The Parish

The parish Rolleston (more formally know as Rolleston-on-Dove these days) lies in the extreme east of Staffordshire and forms part of the border with neighbouring Derbyshire. Rolleston is located around 3 miles north of the brewing town of Burton on Trent and, as its modern name suggests, sits on the southern banks of the River Dove. Rolleston sits about 2 miles west of the busy modern A38 which follows the ancient route of the Roman's Icknield Street. Today Rolleston is a large village sprawling along a lane paralleling the river for well over a mile from west to east, at the time of this transcript it would have been a relatively middle-sized pastoral farming village. The rich pastures of the nearby Dove valley supporting a bustling cattle farming economy. The Dove drains the parish the short distance to the nearby Trent and thence a long journey across the country to eventually reach the North Sea through the Humber Estuary. Rolleston is sited at around 50 metres above the sea, the land rises gently but steadily to reach almost 150 metres on Hanbury Hill around 5 miles to the west. By Staffordshire standards Rolleston parish was rather small, covering just under 1,200 acres its size is more typical of a southern parish, it would have supported a population of around 800 parishioners. In Domesday times Rolleston was held by Henry de Ferrers and was a substantial settlement even at that date, offering 18 ploughs, meadows & woodland and a mill it would have been a wealthy holding.

The Church

St Mary's church sits towards the western end of the village on the southern side of Church Road. The church has its origins in the immediate post-Conquest era. Traces of Norman Romanesque work are pointed out by Pevsner notably the nave doorways and a north window in the chancel. Much else is from the cusp between 13th & 14th centuries and in the Decorated style popular at that period. Both north & south aisles follow that style as does the southern porch, the western tower was clearly started around the turn of these centuries albeit the imposing recessed spire is much later. The use of reticulated tracery in the majority of windows also complies with this date of early 14th century. As is usual the Victorian period saw changes and restoration, a northern chapel being the major addition of 1892. The church sits in a slightly elevated churchyard which is unfenced being buttressed by a low local stone wall. Entry is through a splendid broad arched gateway. The churchyard is relatively open albeit the eastern end of the building sits rather close by to its neighbour, the Spread Eagle Inn, otherwise there are no restrictions to photography.