England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
North Wraxall St James

The Parish

The parish of North Wraxall lies in northwestern Wiltshire forming a stretch of the county's border with neighbouring Gloucestershire. North Wraxall is located roughly 7 miles west of the town of Chippenham and sits immediately north of the A420 road which links Chippenham with Bristol. North Wraxall is a small and compact village sitting on the edges of a dry valley in limestone countryside, most properties, many built in the attractive local limestone, lie around a T-junction of lanes with others distributed loosely around the wider parish as farmsteads and cottages. Despite the limestone bed-rock, which typically precludes much arable farming, the area was strongly arable with only patches of woodland to leaven the mix. To the west of the village runs the ancient Roman route of the Fosse Way, which here runs along the routes of minor lanes, many sites of villas have been located in the area by archaeologists. North Wraxall's valley may be dry but it heads eastwards to meet the By Brook and must have once been full of flowing water in periglacial times, the By Brook heads southwards to meet the Avon at Batheaston, the latter passes through Bristol, under its iconic bridge at Avon Gorge and to the outer Bristol Channel. North Wraxall is sited at around 130 metres above the sea, land rises westwards onto a plateau set between 150 & 160 metres. Covering 2,300 acres North Wraxall was typically sized for this area, that acreage would have supported a population of close to 500 parishioners. In Domesday times North Wraxall was held by one Edward of Salisbury and offered 9 ploughs backed by typical meadows & woodland and also possessed 2 mills making for a prosperous manor.

The Church

St James' church sits at the T-junction which forms the northwestern edges of the small settlement. Whilst the church does have some early fabric, a 12th century Norman south doorway is cited by Pevsner, the bulk of the church dates from the 13th century. Both the chancel and the western tower show the characteristic lancet styled windows to confirm their dating to the Early English Gothic period. The chamfered arches of the spacious porch also confirm its dating to the same period. Whilst the nave is contemporary with the surrounding fabric it received further attention later in the medieval period, the big southern window being a later addition in a 14th century style whilst the arcade has been rebuilt reusing the original 13th century quatrefoil piers. The late 18th century saw the addition of the northern aisle whilst typical Victorian intervention in the 1840s added the ashlar top stage including the bell-chamber and pinnacles. The church has twin paths leading to the churchyard, from the village centre to the east where parking is best sought, and the main entrance directly from the T-junction where a path leads to iron gates beneath tall and shady trees, once within the churchyard, however, there are no substantial obstacles to concern the photographer.