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

The Parish

The parish of Kirk Bramwith lies in the southern portion of the West Riding of Yorkshire, not too far from its border with neighbouring Lincolnshire. Kirk Bramwith consists of two principal settlements, the hamlet of the same name and the larger one, and a half-mile north, that of Braithwaite. The two settlements sit on the northern banks of the River Don about 7 miles northeast of the town of Doncaster. Even today this is a rather remote area of the county with no major roads within 4 miles, the A19 (Doncaster to Selby) being the closest and lies well to the west. This is also a very low lying area, crisscrossed by both drainage channels and also canals, including the New Junction Canal which cuts through the parish between the two settlements. The area would have been predominantly agricultural, with land almost equally divided between arable and pastoral methods. The River Don is headed northwards and east wards to reach the Humber Estuary. Kirk Bramwith is sited at just 1 metre above the sea and Braithwaite a couple of metres higher and it a matter of miles before any contours are reached, the land being low lying and flat for miles. By the standards of Yorkshire Kirk Bramwith parish was rather small and more typical in size to a southern parish, it covered around 2,000 acres and supported a population of just over 250 parishioners. In Domesday times the parish is held by one Roger of Bully with a small portion in the hands of William of Warenne, the parish held just 5 ploughs and some woodland.

The Church

St Mary's church sits in the centre of Kirk Bramwith hamlet itself at the main road junction. The building has ancient origins containing many features indicating a Norman (12th century or even pre-Conquest) origin. Pevsner cites the south doorway and chancel arch as being relics of that period. The remainder is largely of the 13th and 14th centuries with a mixture of styles, the top of the western tower being the latest significant period and that is Perpendicular. The building follows the standard design of chancel, nave and western tower. The church sits on the southern side of Top Lane just to the east of its only significant junction and where a triangular green can be found. Access to the churchyard is at the western end by a short driveway flanked by impressive posts. There are many mature trees within and around the churchyard making it tricky to get adequate photographic angles.