England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Upper Arley St peter

The Parish

The parish of Upper Arley forms the southwesternmost tip of its county of Staffordshire, a narrow peninsula of land squeezed between neighbouring Worcestershire & Shropshire and forming stretches of Staffordshire's border with both. Such was the anomaly of this parish that in 1895 it was formally transferred to Worcestershire to smooth the county's borders. Upper Arley is located roughly 5 miles northwest of the Worcestershire industrial town of Kidderminster and sits just over 2 miles southwest of the A442 road which links Kidderminster with the Shropshire town of Bridgnorth. Upper Arley sits on the eastern banks of the River Severn with most properties lining that river with a few more lining the lane that leads to the A442. Its site marked what was formerly a cable ferry across the Severn. Like most western parishes its economy was underpinned by pastoral farming of mainly dairy cattle, there was also extensive woodland management, large tracts still dominate the local landscape, whilst extraction of coal, from a thin seam, and the local red sandstone employed a few more. Upper Arley is drained by the Severn southwards on its long journey to the sea arriving through its estuary into the Bristol Channel. Upper Arley is sited on a rising site between 25 metres at the riverside to over 50 metres at the church, land rises still further away from the river to almost 200 metres close to nearby Shatterford. Upper Arley was an extensive parish at just over 3,800 acres within which it would have supported a population of close to 650 parishioners. In Domesday times Upper Arley was held by the canons on Wolverhampton St Mary, the assets recorded of just 6 ploughs and extensive woodland indicate a small rural community typical of many at that time.

The Church

St Peter's church has a splendid location on a hilltop overlooking the thickly wooded Severn valley and into Shropshire. The church stands alongside Arley House with its gardens and arboretum, a local attraction, and is approached up the rising Arley Lane from the river. Whilst the church has early origins, Pevsner notes the fabric of the nave's southern wall as being of 12th century Norman origin, the majority of the church reflects a major rebuild during the 14th century, other fragments of the earliest times can be found at the southeastern corner. The core of the church, rebuilt in the early 14th century, reflects the Decorated style of that period, shown well in the windows of the northern aisle. Work followed in an atypical period, the 16th century, when a clerestory was added along with the sturdy 4-stage western tower. Also Tudor period are windows on the northern walls. Like most churches a Victorian restoration made significant changes, here it fell in the mid-1880s and involved rebuilding & extending the chancel and southern porch as well as adding the vestry to the south. Following the narrow approach lane it is welcome to find a broad swollen parking area immediately outside the churchyard allowing an extended visit. This parking area leads straight into the churchyard with no gates to negotiate, the churchyard is open & uncluttered with excellent sight-lines for the photographer.