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

The Parish

The parish of Spofforth sits in the eastern portion of the West Riding of Yorkshire. Spofforth is sited about 3 miles northwest of the market town of Wetherby and approximately 6 miles southeast of the town of Harrogate, the village sits on the main road which links those two places (A661) where it crosses the River Crimple, a tributary of the River Nidd. Spofforth has a right angles main street formed by the A661 and where it bends to the northeast a lane which carries on northwest is also lined by houses. The main reason for Spofforth's importance, apart from its river crossing, was the substantial castle which sits up this lane. The castle was the seat of Percy family until they moved to Northumberland and was partially destroyed, during the Wars of the Roses, by the Yorkist army following the battle of Towton. Spofforth sits at about 40 metres above sea level in the plain of the Crimple, higher ground rises to the southeast whereas the Crimple merges into the broader plain of the Nidd to the northeast. Much of the land was in mixed farming or parkland (Spofforth Park) but nowadays is switching to arable. The parish was a substantial one of over 12,000 acres and supported over 3,000 parishioners, a third of whom were in the village. In Domesday times the area supported 8 ploughs and a mill.

The Church

All Saints' church sits beside the A661 on its way from the village down to the crossing of the Crimple. The church, externally at least appears to be Victorian with a Perpendicular tower in the classic western position. However closer examination reveals details left behind at the restoration which indicate a much older building possibly late Norman or in the transitional period of the late 11th early 12th centuries. Much of these details require an expert's eye, however. The graveyard is bordered with a wire-topped stone wall and is left to rough grass with scattered trees. Access is via a narrow lane off the main road.