England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Garton on the Wolds St Michael

The Parish

The parish of Garton on the Wolds lies in southeastern Yorkshire but is almost central within the East Riding. East Riding has two Gartons, hence the suffix, the other being on the Holderness coast. Garton on the Wolds is located about 3 miles west of the market town of Great Driffield and sits on the A166 road which connects Great Driffield with the city of York. Garton in the Wolds is a linear village with most properties fronting the A166 with a few along Station Road towards the church. The parish was largely an arable farming community, then as now, with large fields dominating the rolling hills of The Yorkshire Wolds. Whilst sitting on porous chalk there is little surface drainage, enough eventually forms to become the infant River Hull, this heads southeastwards to reach the outer Humber Estuary through the port of Hull. Garton on the Wolds is sited at around 60 metres above the sea, whilst it is out of the main area of the higher Wolds, land does rises in steady climbs to local heights of around 150 metres within two or three miles. Wold parishes are often quite extensive, Garton on the Wolds parish was no exception, covering just over 4,000 acres it would have supported a population of almost 600 parishioners. In Domesday times Garton on the Wolds was a relatively small place, despite this it was shared between Count Robert of Mortain and the Archbishop of York, a humble place offering just 4 ploughs but with potential for many more given much was left to "waste".

The Church

St Michael's church sits on the eastern side of Station Road as it heads south from the A166. This is an ancient church with documents recording its grant to Kirkham Priory in 1121 whence the present building was commenced. Much of the early fabric confirms this 12th century build being Norman Romanesque in style. Of course in the intervening time there were alterations, a Decorated style window appeared in the south wall, the top of the squat tower was added or replaced in the 15th century Perpendicular style. As is typical of many churches the Victorian era saw major restoration and augmentation, most notably the rebuilding of the chancel on its original foundations and harking after the Norman Romanesque style of the first build. It is internally that St Michael earns its most lavish praise from Pevsner, he devotes many lines to a description of the Victorian wall paintings and stained glass which are worth a visit in themselves. The church sits around 300 metres south of the A166 and is fronted by a low ashlar block wall with a lychgate granting entry. Station Road is broad enough for normal street parking. The churchyard has a few small trees but they do not unduly restrict the angles available for photography.