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

The Parish

The parish of Wistow lies in southern Yorkshire roughly 3 miles northwest of the market town of Selby. Wistow sits on the B1223 road which links Selby through towards Tadcaster and is a large village built around a staggered crossroads with most properties lying either on the eastern side of the B1223 or along the western leading lane terminating in a group bearing the name West End. A mile northeast of Wistow lies the course of the River Ouse and Wistow sits on the edges of its flood plain with rich pastures between the two whilst drier land westwards would have been largely arable. Running between Wistow and the Ouse is the course of an ancient levee which indicates the Ouse has wandered in its course over the centuries being at one time much closer to Wistow. The Ouse drains the parish southeastwards passing through Selby onwards past Goole and to the North Sea through the Humber Estuary. Wistow is sited below 10 metres above the sea as is much of the terrain in this former swampy district, Yorkshire's Fenland, only rarely within 5 miles is the 10 metre contour breached in a totally flat terrain. Wistow parish at 2,900 acres was on the large side for its area and would have supported a population of close to 750 parishioners. Wistow is not mentioned in Domesday Book.

The Church

All Saints' church sits on the eastern side of the B1223 as it dog-legs through the village, it sits opposite to the Black Swan Inn. Externally the church appears almost entirely from the Perpendicular era of church architecture, it takes Pevsner's forensic eye, however, to detect a much earlier origin for the church. That evidence is best revealed internally and within the 3-bay arcades where short, circular piers and double-chamfered arches convey a date no later than the early 13th century, Early English Gothic in style. Also from the same, or rather slightly later, period one finds the southern aisle and doorway and, in the matching northern aisle, a lancet style window, further evidence of a 13th century origin. These traces are, however, over-shadowed by the rebuild that must have resulted in the dominance of Perpendicular styling from the 14th into 15th centuries. The tall western tower, a landmark across the flat terrain surrounding the village, is a good example of the style utilising limestone to good effect and topping it off with corner pinnacles. The main body, also carrying battlements, bears a typical 15th century feature namely a clerestory to improve internal lighting. Victorian work appears to have been limited with a light restoration and the addition of a vestry. Opposite the entrance a small triangular area enables a few cars to safely park. The churchyard's southern boundary sits uncomfortably close to the church so the better views are from the surrounding streets or, if not unduly sunny, from the north.