Find your ancestors in Ryedale Marriages

Discover your British ancestors today and add further information to your growing family tree. The records reveal your ancestor’s wedding date, witnesses to the marriage and where the wedding took place.

The records includes a transcript of the original marriage details. The information in each transcript can differ but most will include the following:

  • Name
  • Marriage date
  • Groom’s name
  • Bride’s name
  • Groom’s condition (marital status)
  • Bride’s condition (marital status)
  • Groom’s parish
  • Bride’s parish
  • Place
  • County and country
  • Minister
  • Witnesses
  • By Banns or licence
  • Notes

Notes can include the age of the bride and groom.

Discover More about the Ryedale Marriages

Ryedale is located in North Yorkshire, England. The records include 5,914 marriages from twelve parishes across the Ryedale district including Sinnington, located on the southern boundary of the North York Moors. The Moors became a National Park in 1952. The Ryedale district was created in April 1974 by the Local Government Act, 1972.

Below is a list of the parishes and date ranges included within the records.

PlaceMarriage year (start)Marriage year (end)
Allerston17541836
Ampleforth18191928
Bilsdale18371959
Birdsall17561836
Cold Kirby18131965
Ellerburn18561978
Great Edstone17541930
Hawnby18131837
Helmsley17541773
Malton, St. Leonard17881837
Old Byland17551932
Sinnington17541837

By Banns or Licence

Within the Ryedale Marriages transcripts you will find a field titled By Banns of marriage, this described whether the couple choose to be married by obtaining a marriage licence or have Banns read. Marriage licences were used from the 14th century onward. Couples could obtain a marriage licence for a fee if they wished to waive the Bann period. Banns, were announcements made in the church on three separate Sundays during the three months leading up to the wedding day. The announcements were made to give the congregation an opportunity to voice any objection to the marriage. Along with a marriage licence fee, the couples were obligated to sign a declaration stating that there were not lawful impediments to their marriage. There are different reasons why couples married by licence instead of by Bann; they may have wanted to get married quickly, they may have wanted to show that they could pay for a licence or the couple was getting married away from home.