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

The Parish

The parish of Gate Helmsley lies in southern Yorkshire roughly 6 miles northeast of the city of York. Gate Helmsley stands adjacent to the A166 road which links York with Great Driffield, it forms part of the border between the North & East Ridings of the county, here formed by the River Derwent. Gate Helmsley is a small linear settlement with most properties lying along a narrow lane that parallels the A166, the village sits at the western edge of the Derwent's flood-plain. Like most rural parishes in this area of Yorkshire Gate Helmsley is a farming parish, early gazetteers estimating roughly equal amounts of arable and pastoral elements. Modern developments have come and gone from the parish, a branch railway line linking Pocklington into York having closed and been largely dismantled. Gate Helmsley is drained southwestwards by the Derwent which soon turns due south to eventually meet the Ouse before passing through the Humber Estuary to the North Sea. Gate Helmsley is sited at around 30 metres above the sea in generally flattish terrain where local high spots fail to breach the 40 metres contour. Gate Helmsley was one of the county's smallest parishes covering only 470 acres which would have supported a population of close to 300 parishioners. Whilst Gate Helmsley does have a Domesday entry as a holding of the Archbishop of York it is described as "waste" due to the "ravishing of the north" by King William following rebellion by northern lords.

The Church

St Mary's church sits between The Lane, on which most properties sit, and the A166. Whilst the church has its origins in the 13th century there was an almost complete rebuild in 1885-6 which would have made the church barely recognisable to the participants in these marriages. A couple of traces remain of the 13th century as the arcades, originally in Early English Gothic style, were re-cut, in addition a lancet window has been reused in the northern chapel. The western tower from the Perpendicular period seems to have been left relatively intact. The work of the 1880s was thorough, the nave was extended eastwards from 2 to 3-bays necessitating the building of a new chancel, the whole was then refaced; the southern porch and vestry were also addition from the same phase of work. The Lane is rather narrow when passing the church but widens eastwards where parking may be made. The church sits within an extensive churchyard which fits between the two roads, there are few obstacles for the photographer in such a big space.