England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Milston St Mary

The Parish

The parish of Milston lies in the extreme east of Wiltshire forming a stretch of the county's border with neighbouring Hampshire. Milston is located roughly 2 1/2 miles north of the small town of Amesbury and sits immediately across the River Avon from the A345 road which links Amesbury with Pewsey. There are two conjoined settlements which make up the parish, Milston, itself, and Brigmerston together they make rough "U" shape angles on its side. The two sit within a meander of the Avon which would have provided rich pastures for the mainly cattle that would have grazed, the drier portions of the parish rise uphill onto the downlands, today part of the Army's Bulford Training Area, where sheep would once have dominated. Milston is drained southwards by the Avon which passes through Salisbury continues onwards passing Ringwood before reaching the English Channel through Christchurch Harbour. Milston is sited at between 70 and 90 metres above the sea on rising ground, the parish rises steeply eastwards to reach the 161 metre top of Dunch Hill, that whole area of the parish bearing a plethora of indications of early occupation, numerous tumuli, barrows and the great earthwork of the Devil's Ditch which now marks the county boundary. Milston parish was fairly typically sized for its area covering just under 2,300 acres which would have supported a population of around 100 parishioners. Domesday Milston was equally small, just 14 households, shared between Earl Roger of Shrewsbury & one Gerald's son Robert it offered 3 ploughs, meadows & pastures but did have a mill presumably powered by the Avon.

The Church

St Mary's church stands on the southern edge of Milston at the sharp bend in Church Road and southwest of that road. The earliest surviving fabric of this small church is found within the chancel where a typical Early English Gothic lancet window graces the southern wall, both the font & a single bell also confirm the 13th century dating. During the early Perpendicular era of the late 14th century the nave and accompanying chancel arch were rebuilt from the foundations in that newly fashionable style. One pleasant survival within the nave are the wall-paintings believed to be 17th & 18th century and painted directly onto the walling. A typical Victorian restoration took place in 1860 which added the western bellcote within which that early bell sits and at some time during the same period a timber southern porch was built. On the apex of Church Road's bend the verge has been well worn by repeated parking providing room for a vehicle or two, the churchyard is quite compact but has no significant obstacles to deter the photographer.