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

The Parish

The parish of Garforth is sited in the eastern part of the West Riding of Yorkshire. Garforth is located about 7 miles east of the city of Leeds and just north of the busy A63 road which links Leeds with Selby. Most of Garforth is contained within the boundaries of the A63 (to its north) and the A642 (to its east). Garforth is a mining area and this and quarrying for limestone was the major employer other than in agricultural activities. This was primarily a pastoral area with cattle and sheep dominating but nowadays there are inroads from arable farming. Today Garforth is a substantial settlement of many thousands and, with its stations, a significant commuter town for Leeds. Garforth has excellent communications as both M1 and A1(M) run very close as well as the asset of the railway. Garforth is sited at about 80 metres above sea level but land falls away to the south towards the major valley of the River Aire, all of the parish drainage is headed for that river. The parish is not exceptionally large for a northern parish at 1,700 acres but because of the mines supported an impressive 1,200 parishioners. In Domesday times the parish was also a wealthy one supporting no fewer than 28 ploughs as well as 3 mills, the land was held by one Ilbert of Lacy.

The Church

Unfortunately the original mediaeval church of Garforth does not survive and St Mary is a Victorian rebuild. Pevsner clearly wasn't impressed as he merely describes the layout and names the architect in just a couple of lines. The church, appropriately enough adjacent to Church Lane, was built in 1844 to a cruciform layout in the lancet style popular in that period, The site is relatively open to Church Lane, a low stone wall encloses a site which is free of gravestones and an impressive pair of wrought iron gates gives access. There are a few trees to the south and it is from the roadside (the north) that there are the best views although it is easier to photograph from across the road as the spire rises abruptly from the road.