England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Tenbury Wells St Mary

The Parish

The parish of Tenbury Wells lies in the extreme west of Worcestershire forming boundaries with both Shropshire and with Herefordshire. Tenbury Wells is located roughly 22 miles northwest of the county town of Worcester and sits on the southern banks of the River Teme immediately south of the A456 road which links Kidderminster through to Brimfield. Tenbury Wells is a town which has had various names in history, beginning life as Temebury, after its neighbouring river, the name morphed through the centuries becoming Tenbury, the suffix Wells being acquired following the discovery of saline springs leading to a small spa in 1840. Tenbury Wells has a substantial presence alongside the Teme whilst spreading south for almost a mile along the subsidiary A4112, headed for Leominster, together with adjacent side lanes. Tenbury Wells spent most of its existence as a small market town, the market bring granted in 1249 to local landholder Roger de Clifford. A centre for specialist skills and a market for trade mostly in the local agricultural products, traditional crops of the area - hops and cider - formed a significant percentage of that trade whilst malting also supported many. The wider parish also farmed in a largely pastoral way with beef cattle the principal product. The discovery of the spring and its healing properties brought the town a modest reputation as a spa "for middling and working classes" as described in its advertising, the spa eventually declined and finally closed in 1939 leaving modern-day Tenbury Wells to resume its minor market town role. The Teme drains the parish eastwards becoming a major feeder to the Severn which is reached to the south of Worcester, the Severn heads southwards to eventually reach the sea as the Bristol Channel. Tenbury Wells is sited at 50 metres above the sea at the bridge across the Teme whilst the southernmost suburbs in Oldwood stand at 100 metres land continues to rise southwestwards into Herefordshire where heights in excess of 210 metres are found within a few miles. Tenbury Wells parish was an extensive one covering almost 5,600 acres with that acreage supporting a population of close to 1,850 parishioners, estimates vary but roughly 2/3rds lived within the market town itself. In Domesday times Tenbury Wells was a large rural manor shared between Osbern, the son of Richard, and the Abbey of Cormeilles with assets of 14 ploughs backed by 2 leagues of woodland.

The Church

St Mary's church stands at the northern end of Church Street almost in the Teme, a position which has lead to disaster on occasions including major damage from water ingress to the early registers. Indeed flood damage caused major destruction to the medieval version of the church with only the western tower, the chancel and a section of northern wall surviving in the mid 18th century. That western tower is of the late-Norman period when 12th century was giving way to the 13th whilst the chancel was of the 14th century and Decorated in style. The church was, therefore, essentially rebuilt between 1772 & 1776 but that work in its turn was swept away by a substantial Victorian restoration of the mid 1860s which amounted to a complete rebuild. The medieval fragments of tower and chancel were allowed to survive but the late 18th century work was dismissed as the church was completely rebuilt in a 14th century Decorated style. Church Street is well-used by locals for on-street parking allowing a relaxed visit, the churchyard stands at right angles to that street and is entered by a set of wooden gates through brick walling. For the photographer the churchyard stands open and relatively uncluttered with most aspects available, care is needed to the northwest where stands the course of the Teme less than 50 metres from the church.