England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Binton St Peter

The Parish

The parish of Binton lies in southwestern Warwickshire roughly 4 miles west of the historic town of Stratford upon Avon, borders are complex hereabouts but Binton does form a short stretch of the county's border with neighbouring Gloucestershire. Binton sits about a half mile north of the B439 road which connects Stratford upon Avon with Bidford on Avon and is a rather linear village with most properties lining the main north to south running lane. The southern extremity of the village has a separate name of Lower Binton, whilst Binton proper stretches for well over a mile to the north. Binton sits within the northern reaches of the Cotswold ranges, a limestone environment in which the grazing of sheep forms the main economic force, today more arable has crept into the farming mix with the advent of modern machinery & fertilisers. Modern developments have come and left from Binton, a branch railway line connecting Stratford upon Avon with Bidford on Avon having closed and been largely dismantled. The presence of Avon in place-names around here is indicative of the main drainage of the area, Binton is drained westwards by the Avon whereupon it meets the Severn and eventually the sea through the latter's estuary. Binton is sited on a steadily rising valley-side site, the lowest properties at 45 metres whilst the highest approach 90 metres above the sea, the terrain is still, however, relatively gentle and rises to local high points of just over 110 metres largely to Binton's north. Binton was one of its county's smaller parish at just over 1,200 acres wherein it would have supported a population of close to 250 parishioners. In Domesday times Binton was shared between no fewer than 4 landholders with collective assets of 7 ploughs, substantial meadows and a salthouse. the book records each of the 4 having a mill but surely this must represent duplication in such a small community.

The Church

St Peter's church sits where Binton meets Lower Binton at the junction of the main north to south running lane, Main Road, with Church Bank, it is set slightly into Church Bank. Sadly this church is not some medieval masterpiece, no indeed is it the actual venue for these marriages as its medieval predecessor was replaced in 1876 by today's church. Built in a mixture of Lias and the local, honey-coloured, limestone the basic nave and chancel is augmented by transepts and with an atypically placed tower, here to the south of the nave rather than in west. The church-builders chose to build in the Early English Gothic style of the 13th century, perhaps a tribute to its predecessor's style, with lancet styled windows complete with a mixture of geometric, intersecting & plate tracery. The church, however, was clearly of little architectural interest to Pevsner as his account is a mere 7 lines of largely descriptive text. Street parking is possible into Church Bank as it carries little traffic but must be considerate. The main entrance is at the northwestern corner where a shady, arched gateway grants entry into a churchyard that has only minor difficulties for the photographer, to the church's west there are close trees but the main favoured aspects are not impacted.