England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Shuttington St Matthew

The Parish

The parish of Shuttington lies in the extreme north of Warwickshire forming a lengthy stretch of the county's border with neighbouring Staffordshire. Shuttington is located roughly 3 miles east of the Staffordshire town of Tamworth and sits about 2 miles south of the B5493 road which links Tamworth with the M42 motorway. Shuttington is a small and compact village formed around a triangular junction of lanes on the northern edge of the flood-plain of the River Anker. Like many Midlands parishes it would have been farmed using a mixture of both arable and pastoral methods, early gazetteers here estimate in roughly equal proportions. A feature of the parish today is the consequence of mining, subsidence from deep coal workings has created a series of flooded pits, similar to those formed by gravel workings, in the Anker's valley which have become havens for wildlife. Modern developments abound around the village, the first to arrive was the Coventry Canal which takes advantage of the Anker's valley to pass through, the railway line from Tamworth to Nuneaton soon followed and today the modern M42 motorway carves its way northeast through the east of the parish. Shuttington is drained westwards by the Anker which soon meets the Tame in Tamworth, water then turns north to reach the Trent and joins that mighty river for the long journey to the North Sea arriving through the Humber Estuary. Shuttington is sited at around 80 metres above the sea, a similar height extends for some distance broken only by the isolated knoll to the west of nearby Warton which climbs to 114 metres. By Warwickshire standards Shuttington parish was towards the smaller end of the scale covering just under 1,400 acres it would have supported a population of close to 200 parishioners. In Domesday times Shuttington was also a modest rural manor held y the Count of Meulan it offered 5 ploughs backed by meadows and some extensive woodland it also came with a mill.

The Church

St Matthew's church lies on the southern edge of the village accessed from the main through lane (Main Road) by the short dead-end lane of Church Lane. Whilst the church has ancient origins the earliest details have almost been obliterated by later changes. It is clear from the fragments remaining that the church was first built in the 12th century, the southwest window of the church has been inserted into a blocked 12th century Norman Romanesque doorway and the western frontage has a  slightly projecting C12 portal with pilaster buttresses, inner and outer arches, eroded zig-zag arch with nook shafts, and hood mould with remains of nail-head decoration. There have been 3 major periods of change for the church, the 14th century, Pevsner questions that date placing it 13th century, saw today's chancel created. The 17th century, c 1666, saw the west front significantly altered and the weatherboarded bell-turret added. The early 20th century work of 1908-9 saw the church restored, most windows replaced and the weatherboarding renewed on the bell-turret. Church Lane is very narrow and gated beyond the run of cottages with little room for turning, it is recommended to park in Main Road and approach of foot. From the gates a southwestward running path leads to the church which stands in a churchyard with few obstacles for the photographer.