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

The Parish

The parish of Rudby lies in the extreme north of Yorkshire, indeed in the extreme north of the North Riding, not too far from its border with County Durham. Rudby is located about 7 miles south of the large industrial town of Middlesborough. Rudby parish contained not just the village of Rudby, situated on the northern banks of the River Leven but also the chapelries of East Rounton and Middleton on Leven which both have their separate pages within this project. The township of Hutton Rudby, immediately across the Leven, formed that largest area of population. Rudby sits in lanes about 2 miles east of the busy A19 dual carriageway which connects Teeside with the A1 (Great North Road). Whilst Rudby's economy would largely have been based upon arable farming, the presence of the Leven, swift & fast flowing, enabled a spinning mill employing many of the parish to be established. Today this is a quiet rural area albeit Hutton Rudby has expanded southwestwards with modern developments as a commuter centre for nearby Teeside. The Leven drains the parish northwards to soon join the Tees close to Yarm and thence into the North Sea through the Tees Estuary. Rudby is sited at between 40 metres above the sea (close by the church) to over 70 metres in the higher reaches of Hutton Rudby, the Leven being incised deeply into its channel. Local heights also top out at around 70 metres in the fore-plain of the nearby North Yorkshire Moors. Rudby parish was extensive as are many in northern Britain, it covered (including the above mentioned chapelries) around 6,600 acres and would have supported a population in the region of 1,200 parishioners. In Domesday times Rudby was held by Count Robert of Mortain, Rudby & Hutton Rudby were separately recorded each offering just 8 ploughs.

The Church

All Saints' church sits on the northern banks of the Leven just north of the road crossing (Ruddy Bank). The church shows features of various ages, the earliest features being displayed by the chancel where lancet windows of the Early English Gothic can be found, these place the origins back as far as the early 13th century. Of the 14th century comes the southern arcade whilst the tower and much of the nave are Perpendicular in style and probably late 14th or early 15th century. The church is unusual in its layout in having the tower in the southern position and forming the porch from its lower stage. The church sits on the eastern side of Ruddy Bank protected by a low local stone wall, a small pull-in area permits parking for a car or two. Entry is via an attractive lychgate, the church is roughly triangular and once through the bordering trees has few obstructions to photography.