Banns

Before marrying a couple had to announce their intention to do so publicly. This was normally done in church when the priest would announce, in the words of the Book of Common Prayer of 1662:

"I publish the banns of Marriage between N of --- and N of ---. If any of you know cause or just impediment, why there two should not be joined in holy Matrimony, ye are to declare it. This is the first (second or third) time of asking."

A more expensive but quicker option was to purchase a Marriage Licence.

The banns had to be read three times within three months of the wedding. If bride and groom lived in different parishes the banns should have been called in both although it wasn’t uncommon for one, usually the groom to establish temporary residence in the other’s parish thus saving one set of fees.

Hardwick’s Marriage Act required required a Register of Banns, which might be part of the marriage register or a separate book. Banns Registers are much rarer than the other parish registers- perhaps because they were considered to be less important. Where the registers do survive they can provide an indication where that missing marriage took place. Publication of Banns is no guarantee that the marriage did take place although “Mocking the Church” as this was known was an offence which could be penalised by the church wardens.