England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Skelbrooke St Michael

The Parish

The parish of Skelbrooke, created a separate parish in 1728 from South Kirkby, lies in southern Yorkshire. Skelbrooke is located about 7 miles northwest of the industrial town of Doncaster. Skelbrooke is rather small, an estate village that never developed fully as all land was held by the lord of the manor and growth was consequently inhibited. Skelbrooke's single claim to fame is as home to the forest in which Robin Hood is alleged to have lived. Today Skelbrooke is little more than a single lane plus the spur of Straight Lane running to the church. Skelbrooke sits just a half mile west of the busy A1 road, the Great North Road from London to Edinburgh. At the time of this transcript Skelbrooke would have earned its living largely from pastoral farming whilst all around small colliery villages were growing up. Skelbrooke is drained to the southeast by a small brook which quickly joins the River Don and heads for the North Sea via the Humber Estuary. Skelbrooke is sited at around 30 metres above the sea and land is gently undulating to local heights of almost 80 metres. Skelbrooke parish was small, as were many in this area of Yorkshire, it covered just 1,200 acres and would have supported a population of a little over 100 parishioners. In Domesday times Skelbrooke was held by one Ilbert of Lacy and could offer just 6 ploughs and a small meadow.

The Church

St Michael's church sits at the northeastern end of Straight Lane where a substantial turning circle and parking area awaits. The church has its origins in the Decorated period of architecture which reached its peak in the early 14th century. Pevsner, however, is quick to point out that St Michael received such a thorough restoration in 1872 that it was almost completely rebuilt. He cites only the bell opening of the western tower as being definitive proof of that original date. The church sits behind a substantial local stone wall and an attractive lychgate grants access, there are numerous trees, in particular from the normal southern viewpoint, which somewhat restrict the angles available for photography.