England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Moreton Morrell Holy Cross

The Parish

The parish of Moreton Morrell lies in southern Warwickshire about 8 miles east of the historic town of Stratford upon Avon. Moreton Morrell sits about a half mile west of the B4455 road, which follows the ancient Roman Road of Fosse Way, a road which carves its way between the environs of Shipston on Stour through to near Coventry, all the while avoiding major centres of population. Moreton Morrell is a crossroads settlement largely built along the three lanes that form its centre, a "T" junction fronting the grounds of its eponymous hall. turned in more recent times to an educational facility. Like most rural parishes Moreton Morrell was essentially a farming community, here a mixed regime would have been in place, that farming income being supplemented by small-scale limestone quarrying for building & road-stone. Moreton Morrell is drained westwards the short distance to join the nearby Avon, that river runs through Stratford upon Avon to meet the Severn and thence to the sea through the Bristol Channel. Moreton Morrell is sited at around 70 metres above the ground and sits on the spring-line below a knoll of limestone which rises to local heights of almost 120 metres. Moreton Morrell was fairly typically sized for this area, covering close to 1,600 acres it would have supported a population of close to 250 parishioners. In Domesday times Moreton Morrell was a modest holding of the Count of Meulan offering 11 ploughs and a small meadow.

The Church

Holy Cross church sits a few hundred yards south of the main part of the village on the western side of Duffus Hill. Whilst Holy Cross is undoubtedly medieval in origin there is very little of that era remaining after a thorough series of restorations and rebuilding. Pevsner identifies the basal portion of the western tower along with the northern doorway as Perpendicular remnants whilst he reserves judgement on the medieval walls of the nave. Interestingly a Norman lintel and part of a tympanum were found in the grounds indicative of perhaps much earlier origins. A series of restorations and rebuilds began as early as 1810 when most windows of the nave were remodelled, this was followed by further work in 1886 & 1896 saw re-seating of the nave and addition of a northern porch. The upper portion of that western tower was rebuilt in brick during the Georgian restoration and was finally replaced as recently as 1967 by today's stone topping. Duffus Hill is sufficiently broad to allow parking outside the gates, the churchyard is behind a low local stone wall with metal gates at the northern end allowing entry. Whilst there are reasonable views of the church there is insufficient depth to the churchyard for a full landscape view from the favoured southeastern aspect.