England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Manfield All Saints

The Parish

The parish of Manfield lies in the extreme north of Yorkshire forming a stretch of the county's border, here formed by the River Tees, with County Durham. Manfield is located roughly 5 miles west of the Durham industrial town of Darlington and stands just over a mile south, and across the Tees, of the A67 road which links Darlington with Barnard Castle. Manfield is a small village sitting at a T-junction of lanes a quarter of a mile east of the course of the ancient Roman Road of Dere Street, now followed by the B6275. Most properties sit along the west to east running lane with a few south of that, in addition there is, within the parish, the small village at Cliffe, on the banks of the Tees at the Dere Street's crossing point. Despite Manfield's northern location the rich soils, created by the wandering course of the Tees in historic times, have allowed arable farming to dominate the farming economy, early gazetteers estimate over 2:1 in favour of arable over pastoral methods. Modern developments have come to the parish, the former A1 (Great North Road) has been upgraded in recent times to motorway standard as the A1M and grazes the eastern borders of the parish. Manfield is drained eastwards by the Tees which skirts south of Darlington before reaching the industrial conurbations that mark its transition into the Tees estuary and on to the North Sea. Manfield is sited at around 80 metres above the sea in gently undulating terrain, height is gained a little westwards where a few spots breach the 120 metre contour. Like many northern parishes Manfield was quite extensive, it covered a little under 3,500 acres and would have supported a population of close to 450 parishioners. Domesday Book does have an entry for Manfield but it is one that described a region rather than the specific manor, that is revealed by it single household to have been "waste" as a consequence of the "harrowing of the North" following rebellion by northern lords.

The Church

All Saints' church sits on the eastern edges of the village on the southern side of the main west to east running lane that forms the core of the village. All Saints is a church which received much change during modern times, there is early masonry, however, remaining within its fabric. The arcades have been identified as being 13th or early 14th century, the southern arcade being c1240 and Early English Gothic whilst the northern is given the dating of c1330 putting it into the Decorated era. The 13th century origin is further enhanced by the lancet styled window found in the southern aisle whilst some of the heavily re-worked priests' doorway is original early medieval work reused. The western tower certainly has later medieval origins and probably dates from the 15th century being late-Perpendicular in style, it comes complete with a substantial stair turret, but the western window is most certainly an 18th century insertion. The substantial restoration came in an extended phase running from 1859 to 1855, Pevsner calls it "over-restored" and almost all windows were replaced including those of the clerestory as well as refreshing the remainder of the church. Entrance is through a lychgate at the eastern end of the site, the verge here being well-worn by parking, the churchyard has many trees but the photographer will be pleased that the majority lie to the north with the favoured southern aspects being relatively clear of obstacles.