England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Tarrington St Philip & St James

The Parish

The parish of Tarrington lies in eastern Herefordshire roughly midway between Hereford & Ledbury and being 7 miles from either, Hereford to the west and Ledbury to the east. Tarrington is a small and compact village which sits on and south of the A438 road which connects Hereford to Ledbury. Tarrington sits on the lower slopes of a Silurian outlier, the limestone of Seager Hill producing a notable hill dominating the normally red sandstone of this area of the county. Like much of Herefordshire Tarrington's income would have largely been derived from pastoral farming, the county is famous for its beef cattle but Tarrington would also have grazed sheep on the steep slopes of Seager Hill. Today much of those slopes are covered in forestry plantations which would have also been important for local materials for fencing etc. Tarrington is drained the short distance northwest into the nearby River Frome, which in equally short order joined the Lugg and then the Wye before making the long journey to the Outer Bristol Channel arriving through the port of Chepstow.Tarrington occupies a rising site with the road at 70 metres and the upper cottages some 30 metres higher, land rises quite dramatically into the hilltop of Seager Hill which summits at 264 metres dominating this area of the county. Tarrington parish was fairly extensive by Herefordshire standards, covering just over 2,100 acres it would have supported a population of close to 550 parishioners. In Domesday times the largest share of Tarrington sat with one Ansfrid de Cormeilles with a smallholding with Roger de Lacy, collectively the parish held 12 ploughs with no mention of other assets.

The Church

St Philip & St James' church sits south of the A438 and east of the rising lane passing through the centre of the village (School Road), it is set back behind fronting properties and best approached on foot. The church has its origins in the post-Conquest period of the 12th century with much Norman Romanesque remaining despite the attentions of both 16th and 19th century improvers. The main body of the church, both nave and chancel show the Norman Romanesque style in ample remaining details, both doorways to the nave and within the chancel windows showing the Norman arch remain. Excavation work showed the original church has an eastern apse but this was removed. The Perpendicular era saw the first major changes with the replacement of the western end with today's tower during which the tower arch was also modified from its 12th century predecessor. In the 19th century a northern aisle was added in the early 1830s whilst the major restoration, described as "severe" by Pevsner, took place in the early 1870s, a oaken porch was also added in 1901. Parking in School Road is possible but safer within Barrs Orchard, a modern development off to the east. The church is accessed by a sloping grassy edging to School Road which turns into a tarred footpath though to the churchyard which is open and uncluttered with no obstacles for the photographer.