England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Aston Cantlow St John the Baptist

The Parish

The parish of Aston Cantlow lies in southwestern Warwickshire roughly 4 miles northeast of the market town of Alcester. Aston Cantlow sits a quarter of a mile southeast of the B4089 road which links Alcester with Wootton Wawen. There are 2 main settlements within the extensive parish, Aston Cantlow, itself, is a small linear village with properties paralleling the River Alne, about 2 miles southeast lies the larger settlement of Wilmcote, a chapelry which was not licensed for marriages at the time of this transcript, which is also rather linear and sits close to the course of the Stratford upon Avon Canal. Wilmcote has a claim to claim as the village in which Mary Arden (Shakespeare's wife) lived prior to their marriage. That village extends for almost 1 mile from northwest to southeast. This area is rural Warwickshire, far from the industry and commerce of the north, farming was the dominant activity and the area supported roughly equal amounts of both arable and pastoral methods creating a patchwork of smaller fields. Traces of the former hunting forest of Arden are found in remaining woodland patches managed for their typical products. Modern developments have come to the parish and some remain, the above-mentioned canal passing through the east of the parish connecting Stratford upon Avon with the main Midlands canal network, the railway line from Stratford to Birmingham follows a similar line, the branch line linking westwards to Alcester has, however, closed and only cuttings and bridges remain to document it. Aston Cantlow is drained southwestwards by the River Alne which meets, in turn, the Arrow, the Avon, at Evesham, and eventually the Severn at Tewkesbury before flowing south to reach the sea through the Bristol Channel. Aston Cantlow is sited at around 50 metres above the sea with Wilmcote some 20 metres higher, within the parish Aston Grove at 111 metres is the highest spot for some distance in gently undulating landscape. Aston Cantlow parish was extensive covering almost 4,800 acres and would have supported a population of close to 1,100 parishioners. In Domesday times Aston Cantlow & Wilmcote were both recorded, then Aston Cantlow (large enough to sit in the top 20% by population) was much the larger settlement offering 12 ploughs backed by typical meadows and woodland and held a mill, Wilmcote offered merely a further 4 ploughs and a small meadow, both manor were held by one Richard's son Osbern.

The Church

St John's church sits to the west of the village's main street accessed by the dead-end Church Lane and sitting almost on the banks of the River Alne. The earliest parts of the church date back to the 13th century to the Early English Gothic period, the chancel especially demonstrates the style rather well. Pevsner was especially enamoured of the southern windows with cusped tracery and sedilia and piscina. To the west the tower has 13th century basal stages with lancet styled windows, its topmost parts are later and Perpendicular. Completing the 13th century elements is the northern arcade. The church has an unusual feature from the early 14th century Decorated period, while the windows of the northern aisle are conventional, the western turret which adorns the aisle is certainly not, it is believed to have held a beacon to guide travellers arriving from across the Alne, since there is no obvious ford and a footbridge a quarter mile south the landscape has either changed or they arrived by the footpath which follows the eastern bank from that bridge. Other than the top of the western tower there is no other Perpendicular work in the church and matters rested there until the typical Victorian restoration. In 1850 that work rebuilt the southern side of the nave, rebuilt the chancel arch and re-roofed the nave as well as restoring much else. Church Lane leaves the main street (Brook Road) adjacent to the black-and-white King's Head Inn, it is recommended that the triangular green is the place to find parking as Church Lane is very narrow and has no easy turning. It is only a short walk to the church which is entered through a 20th century lychgate. The photographer will find many trees which require a bit of searching before adequate view angles are found.