Marrying at Gloucester Cathedral rather than in the FOD (General)

by Jefff , West London, Middlesex, Tuesday, February 20, 2024, 21:03 (67 days ago) @ Bradley Tingle

Hi Donna,
I wonder if it was their goldsmith witness who helped them to "qualify" to get married at the Cathedral, maybe his occupation indicates he was an important and influential man in the city ?. That's assuming, of course, that such a marriage (at the Cathedral) is as unusual as I think it might be - I'd welcome Slowhands' thought on this point, please ?.

Re the travelling to Gloucester, for a fit young adult walking pace is considered to be 3 mile per hour max, so yes a 4.5 hour walk at least. I suspect most people would have had access to a horse to reduce the travelling time. Up until the mid 1700s, the roads thro the Forest as well as those from Gloster to Chepstow, and the branch towards Monmouth via Littledean, were in very poor state, especially in mid winter, so not ideal for your January 1738 marriage - it wasn't until the 1760s or later that government money was invested to improve them, and the relevant Turnpike Trusts created. https://www.forestersforest.uk/area/11/roads

In Leonard Clark's lovely book "Green Wood", he describes in great detail the excitement of a day trip by road to Gloucester from his Chestnuts home between Cinderford and Flaxley. The route was the same as we'd take now, via Littledean, Westbury etc, a distance of 14 miles he writes (much like we thought from our Cinderford home). This trip was made in a horse brake operated by a professional carrier, drawn by 2 fit horses to Gloster, and 3 on the return trip when the hills were against them. The trip took 3 hours there, and 4 hours back. And this was in 1910 or thereabouts, when both the road and the vehicle were in rather better condition than they were 200 years before !.
Highly recommended reading by the way !!

Hope this helps, J.