England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Foston on the Wolds St Andrew

The Parish

The parish of Foston on the Wolds lies in southeastern Yorkshire roughly 6 miles east of the market town of Great Driffield. Foston on the Wolds is something of a misnomer as the village sits within the flat lands of Holderness and not the chalk hills of The Wolds. Foston on the Wolds sits roughly 2 miles north of the meandering B1249 road which links Great Driffield with Beeford. The parish is a curious shape being extended for some distance north to south yet only a relatively thin strip east to west. Foston on the Wolds is a lengthy and linear village stretching for a mile along a lane from its crossing of the Kelk Beck towards the northeast, the parish also included the townships of Brigham to the southwest which is little more than a hamlet, Gembling of a similar size and to the northeast and Great Kelk further north which is another linear village running for over a mile further north. The flat land is intensely arable with all but a few percent as pasture of woodland, cereals and root crops would have been the mainstays whilst today oil-seed has also entered the portfolio. Mnay of the channels in the area were canalised allowing vessels of up to 60 tons to reach the southern edges of Foston on the Wolds parish and supporting a large flour mill which employed many. The Kelk Beck drains the short distance into the River Hull which continues south through Beverley and the port of Hull to reach the outer Humber Estuary and thence the North Sea.Foston on the Wolds is sited at around 10 metres above the sea with no land significantly higher for some distance. Foston on the Wolds parish was extensive covering just under 4,800 acres and supporting a population of close to 800 parishioners of whom less than half lived in the village, itself. In Domesday times both Foston on the Wolds and Gembling were recorded in Domesday Book, Foston on the Wolds, held by William de Percy could offer just 2 ploughs but held a mill whilst Gembling was held by the Archbishop of York and offered just a further plough.

The Church

St Andrew's church stands towards the northern end of Foston on the Wolds and sits on the western side of the main lane on which most properties lie, curiously its cemetery sits across the road from the main churchyard. St Andrew is a church in which all ages of the medieval church-building period are represented from 12th century Norman Romanesque through to 15th century Perpendicular. The main body of nave and chancel is the earliest portion with 12th century features such as 2 small round-headed windows on the south face of the nave, further examples of the same in the chancel and also the priest's doorway. Moving on a century into Early English Gothic this era of the 13th century is represented by the 4-bay northern arcade. The early 14th century Decorated period has less fabric, merely some windows of the aisle. The western tower is from the final style, the Perpendicular, of 3 stages topped by battlements it is classic 15th century styling. For once Pevsner does not record a Victorian restoration merely the 20th century render applied internally to the chancel and the external pebble-dash of the nave and chancel.There is ample room for parking outside the churchyard which is entered at the western end by an entrance tucked into a side lane. A pair of trees sitting between church and road present a limited set of southern aspects but most other angles are available for the photographer.