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

The Parish

The parish of Uttoxeter lies in east central Staffordshire, indeed it forms a substantial part of the border with neighbouring Derbyshire. Uttoxeter is located about 15 miles northeast of the town of Stafford and is a large market town sitting in the valley of the River Dove. Uttoxeter is located at the junction of the A50 (now a modern fast highway) and the A518 road running up from Stafford. The town has a long history, its name betrays its location as a Roman "castrum" sitting alongside the Roman Road running to Chester from the East Midlands. Granted a market by Henry III and given the privileges of a free borough Uttoxeter was a great centre for trade across the Midlands plains. It position on the Dove is maintained today as a modern industrial town; traditional trades in clock making, metal bashing as well as typical market town trades such as malting, brewing and tanning have declined but have been replaced by modern light industries. Uttoxeter's hinterland was dominated by pastoral farming where cattle were particularly important leading to a substantial business in cheese and dairy produce too. Uttoxeter's proximity to the modern A50 and the rail line between Derby and Stoke Upon Trent contrive to make it still a hub for trade. The heart of the old town gathers around the church but Uttoxeter has expanded notably to its northwest in recent times. The River Dove drains the parish southeastwards joining the Trent just east of Burton Upon Trent before heading for the North Sea through the Humber Estuary. Uttoxeter is sited at around 80 metres above the sea in gently rolling countryside with local heights reaching almost 150 metres a couple of miles to the south. Uttoxeter parish was large, as befits a substantial market town, it covered almost 9,000 acres and would have supported a population of almost 5,000 parishioners. In Domesday times Uttoxeter was a small place, it was held by the King, himself, and could offer just 13 ploughs together with small meadows and woodlands.

The Church

St Mary's church sits at the heart of the old town of Uttoxeter alongside Church Street which performs an elaborate right-angle to pass around the rather formidable presence of the church. Sadly much of St Mary is relatively modern, only the tall tower with its recessed spire remains from the mediaeval period. Pevsner dates that piece to the 14th century. Much else is 19th century, the nave dating from 1828 and the chancel from 1877. For such an impressive building Pevsner's coverage is rather terse so it clearly did not impress him for its architectural merits. The church sits almost flush to the pavements of Church Street with the tower looming over the street, a low local stone wall separates the churchyard. A more extensive churchyard is open to the southeast permitting more perspective of the building for photography but the tower is best viewed from street level and at some distance.