St. Andrew, Aston sub Edge, Gloucestershire

Description

The church of St. Andrew is a small modern building of stone, consisting of chancel and nave and a western turret containing one bell, cast in 1797; in 1884 the windows were renewed in stone and the chancel reseated, and in 1890 the interior was thoroughly restored at the cost of the 3rd Earl of Harrowby, A marble tablet has been erected to the Rev. Ralph Francis Watson M.A. rector here, 1871-87, who suddenly died in the pulpit whilst pronouncing the benediction: there are 100 sittings.

Church Records

The existing register of baptisms dates from the year 1719; marriages and burials, 1720; but in the parish chest at Mickleton there is preserved a parchment volume of quarto size, containing a register of baptisms, marriages and burials, dating from 1539, and evidently belonging to the adjoining parish of Aston sub Edge: the words "Aston Register" can be traced in very pale ink on the outer cover, over which, in a later hand and in darker ink, the indorsement, "Mickleton Register," has been written: the transfer of the book from the church to which it properly belongs may be accounted for by the fact that the two parishes were for many years served by the same clergyman, who resided at Mickleton: there are entries relating to the Porter family, for many years connected with this parish, and from whom sprang Endymion Porter, the faithful attendant of Charles I.; also of the Overbury family, to which belonged Sir Thomas Overbury, who was poisoned in the Tower, 15th September, 1613.