England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Walsgrave on Sowe St Mary

The Parish

The parish of Walsgrave on Sowe (often rendered as simply Sowe) lies in northeastern Warwickshire. Walsgrave on Sowe is located about 3 miles northeast of the city of Coventry and has over the years become almost absorbed by that city, it currently marks the northeastern boundary of the suburban area. Walsgrave on Sowe sits astride the modern A4600 road, formerly the A46 (which now bypasses Walsgrave on Sowe to its east), which connects Coventry with the Leicestershire town of Hinckley. Modern communications now dominate the area, the modern M6 motorway passing close to the north whilst the A46 has been upgraded to motorway status to Walsgrave on Sowe's north as the M69. At the time of this transcript Walsgrave on Sowe would have been a completely separate, and quite large, village. The economy would have been partially farming (mainly pastoral) but also there were extensive coal mines operating and many were involved in the manufacture of ribbon, an industry associated with Coventry itself. Walsgrave on Sowe, as its name suggests, sits on the banks of the River Sowe which drains the parish southwards, joining the Avon near Kenilworth and then the Severn at Tewkesbury to eventually reach the Irish Sea through the Bristol Channel. Walsgrave on Sowe is sited at around 80 metres above sea level and the land is more or less level for many miles being only gently undulating. Walsgrave on Sowe parish was of a fairly typical size for the area, covering just under 2,500 acres it would have supported a population of around 1,400 parishioners. In Domesday times Walsgrave on Sowe was held largely by Coventry Abbey with a small portion in the hands of one Richard the Forester. The parish was quite small offering 7 ploughs, small woodlands and meadows but it did possess a mill.

The Church

St Mary's church stands almost alongside the busy dual-carriageway of the A4600 but set into Hall Lane. The church is curious in using two differing coloured building stone, the chancel in the local red sandstone whilst the tower and much else is a grey colour. The chancel is dated as the earliest portion of the church, Pevsner gives it a date circa 1300, the arcades show fenestration from both the Decorated period as well as the Perpendicular style so probably they were built crossing that fashion divide. The western tower is firmly of the latter style and is probably the latest part of the building. The church sits in a slightly elevated position buttressed by a brick wall above the street level by a few feet. Whilst the site is open to both north and west, the church is hemmed in by trees from the south so is a challenge to photograph on sunny days.