England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Acton Beauchamp St Giles

The Parish

Prior to 1897 the parish of Acton Beauchamp sat on the western edge of Worcestershire projecting into neighbouring Herefordshire, in that year the boundary was straightened and Acton Beauchamp became part of Herefordshire. Acton Beauchamp is located about 4 miles southeast of the market town of Bromyard and sits just over a mile west of the B4220 road, a linking road that connects Bromyard through to the A4103 (Hereford to Great Malvern) road. Acton Beauchamp is a dispersed settlement with no real village, just farms and cottages loosely dotted across the wider parish, a small cluster of farms gather around the parish church whilst to the east, on the B4220, sits the small crossroads hamlet of Acton Green. Acton Beauchamp parish included a broad range of land-types from pastures to the west around the course of the River Frome, through arable land which was also dotted with the local crop speciality, hops. Acton Beauchamp is drained southwards and then southwestwards by the Frome, once it reaches the Lugg the Wye soon follows and water joins that meandering river as it trends southwards to reach the Outer Bristol Channel arriving through the port of Chepstow. Acton Beauchamp is sited at on climbing ground from 80 metres at the Frome's bridge to 180 metres on the local hilltops, there is no higher ground for many miles. Covering a little over 1,500 acres Acton Beauchamp parish was typically sized for this area, that acreage would have supported a population of close to 200 parishioners. In Domesday times Acton Beauchamp was held by Bishop Odo of Bayeux and had assets of just 10 ploughs.

The Church

St Giles' church stands in a remote setting on a wooded slope below Church House Farm, a dead-end lane climbs to this cluster of farms and from when it ceases to be a tarred road a footpath leads to the churchyard. Although the church was largely rebuilt in the 2nd decade of the 19th century enough remains to tell this had originally been an early church. The southern doorway, albeit reused, is 12th century and Norman in origin. The western tower also has early medieval fabric evidenced by the lancets high up on each face, the tower's southern doorway has a lintel which has been dated to the Saxon period and probably derived from part of a cross-shaft. Everything else is from the two phase Georgian rebuild, the western tower, complete with pyramidal top, from 1815 and followed between 1816 & 1819 by both nave and chancel. The narrow lane bifurcates just beyond the start of the footpath allowing both turning and safe parking, the path heads up a hedge line to the churchyard. Views of the church are limited to those from the south as the east, west & northern faces are compromised by close-set trees, good aspects but limited in scope for the photographer.