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

The Parish

The parish of Britford lies in the southeast of Wiltshire not too far from its border with neighbouring Hampshire. Britford is located about 1 1/2 miles southeast of the city of Salisbury and sits in a rather unique position on an island between two branches of the River Avon. Britford, itself, is a rather small place sitting in lanes just east of the A338 road which links Salisbury with the Hampshire market town of Ringwood, the parish also included the hamlet of Longford and also East Harnham, which is now a southern suburb to the city of Salisbury and the larger settlement in the former parish. The parish of Britford would largely have earned its living from pastoral farming, cattle on the extensive flood plain and also sheep on the chalky downlands within the parish. The Avon, which is much interfered with by the works of man in the vicinity of Britford, drains the parish southwards to reach the English Channel through Christchurch Harbour. Britford is sited at around 40 metres above the sea but East Harnham rises to between 60 & 80 metres above the sea, local heights rise to 143 metres on nearby Clearbury Ring, about 2 miles south of Britford. Much of the area of Longford has been turned to parkland associated with its castle site. Britford parish was of a typical size for parishes in this region of Wiltshire, covering around 2,700 acres it would have supported a population of around 900 parishioners. In Domesday times Britford was held largely by the King, although small portions were still in the hands of named Saxons. The parish offered 20 plough as well as small meadows and pastures and also 2 mills.

The Church

St Peter's church sits at the end of a long and winding lane and almost on the banks of the easternmost branch of the Avon. The church shows a structure which is indicative of an early church, namely the cruciform arrangement with a central crossing tower. The tower was rebuilt in 1767, presumably for safety reasons, but the rest of the church shows much use of the Decorated style and Pevsner places it in the early 14th century. Intriguingly inside there are carvings to the arches which show a style dateable to the 8th century although Pevsner queries that and prefers the 9th century. Either way this central portion of the church is clearly pre-Conquest in age. The church is accessed via Church Lane which is rather narrow and winding and best approached from the main village on foot although a small parking area is available. The church has a roughly oblong site bordered to its north by the river, there are number of mature trees on site which does restrict the photographic angles from the south in particular.