England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Spernall St Leonard

The Parish

The parish of Spernall lies in southwestern Warwickshire roughly 4 miles north of the market town of Alcester. Spernall sits about a half mile east of the A435 road which links Alcester with Redditch. Spernall is a tiny place, little more than a hamlet sitting on the eastern bank of the River Arrow, the former parish church stands accompanied by the rectory in an area of pastures. The remainder of the parish is dotted with farmsteads and cottages with no real concentration of a settlement. Whilst the Arrrow's flood-plain gave the parish rich pastures, much of the eastern portion of the parish sat within the ancient Forest of Arden and is still markedly wooded.Spernall is drained southwards by the Arrow which, after passing through Alcester, soon joins the Avon and heads west to meet the Severn, resuming a southerly course the Severn eventually reaches the sea through the Bristol Channel. Spernall is sited at around 50 metres above the sea in its valley setting, to the east the isolated knoll of Round Hill dominates reaching 141 metres as the highest ground around. Spernall was quite a small parish for its area covering just under 1,200 acres and barely supporting 100 parishioners. In Domesday times Spernall was equally small, held by one William Bonvallet it offered just 4 ploughs, some meadows & woodland but did possess a mill.

The Church

St Leonard's church is closed for regular worship and is now managed by the Friends of Friendless Churches. The church sits together with the former rectory on the eastern banks of the River Arrow, the church is hidden behind the latter and practically invisible from the passing lane. Like many such small and rural churches St Leonard has very early fabric remaining, the chancel arch despite re-working during later restorations, is originally Norman and 12th century. It is likely that the nave was also of the same vintage but this is masked by later rework. The nave retains a 13th century Early English Gothic west window and also carries early 14th century Decorated styled windows. The major restoration work fell in 1844 which resulted in today's chancel as well as refreshing many other parts, the east window of the chancel is a product of that rebuild. Further brick patching followed in 1892 before the church was eventually deemed surplus to requirements of the church. A farm access track runs southwards just east of the former rectory and has a gravelled parking area for access to St Leonard, a small wooden gate beneath trees grants access to a churchyard with no significant issues for the photographer.