England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Aymestrey St John the Baptist & St Alkmund

The Parish

The parish of Aymestrey lies in northwestern Herefordshire roughly 7 miles northwest of the market town of Leominster. Aymestrey sits on the A4110 road which links Hereford with Leintwardine. Whilst granting its name to the parish Aymestrey village is a mere straggle of properties lining the main road with no real village cluster. Smaller settlements such as Yatton to the northeast and the chapelry of Leinthall Earles (which was licensed for marriages and will have its own page within the project) hold greater numbers than Aymestrey. Aymestrey stands at the crossing of the A4110 over the River Lugg, an ancient crossing as the main road follows the line of a Roman Road, here the Lugg squeezes through a tight gap between Yatton Hills and similar land-blocks to the west forcing the river southwards rather than its previous easterly course. This narrow gorge-like feature produces little floodplain and consequently Aymestrey lacked rich pastures of other riverside settlements. Much of the hillsides are set to forestry with early gazetteers estimating its comprised 25% of the parish acreage with arable at 30% and the remainder pastures. Aymestrey is drained southwards by the River Lugg which heads to join the Wye to the east of Hereford, the Wye meanders markedly but eventually reaches the outer Bristol Channel arriving through the port of Chepstow. Aymestrey is sited at around 100 metres above the sea but higher grounds stands all around capped by Yatton Hills at Croft Ambrey hill-fort which touches 302 metres, a similar height is reached westwards on Shobdon Hill. Aymestrey parish was extensive covering just over 5,700 acres as befits an upland parish with much land over 200 metres high, that acreage would have supported (including the chapelry of Leinthall Earles) a population of close to 950 parishioners. Domesday Book has two entries for Aymestrey both in the hands of King William. the first is a regional entry, with 230 ploughs it clearly refers to such and entity, the second appears to be specific to the manor where it offers 13 ploughs, a league of woodland and 2 mills.

The Church

St John & St Alkmund's church sits alongside the A4110 a few yards south of the Lugg and just beyond the final few cottages on that side of the main road. The church has early origins but the fabric in the 12th century Norman Romanesque style is confined to the chancel and adjacent parts of the church. Only the lower parts of the chancel arch are original 12th century and only the western parts of the chancel, further fabric can be found on the quoins of the western nave and suggests the church had its origins as a simple aisleless Norman church. The 14th century saw the addition of the sturdy western tower complete with tunnel vaulting inside and topped by battlements, at the same time a clerestory was created to improve early lighting. This work on the nave, however, was superceded in the 16th century when the nave was remodelled with matching aisles, the clerestory must have been carefully removed and re-seated preserving its earlier date. A typical Victorian restoration of 1884-1886 not only refreshed the church but added the northern, priests', doorway and the eastern bellcote atop the chancel. There is no safe parking by the church, the A4110 is quite busy, it is better to park nearer the Lugg and follow the pavement south to the church where a neat lychgate grants entry. The churchyard is open and uncluttered but the church sits too close to the southern edges for the favoured aspects to be exploited, all other angles are available to the photographer.