Marriage or Living together?
A recent article in the Daily Mail posed the question of the form marriages took back in the mid 18 C.
The answer being that as the church was trying to secure the marriage market for them selves they charged a fee. Obviously many could not afford to pay for a wedding therefore they did not go through the service. It was only the rich who could afford to pay. The ancient custom called Handfesting became established throughout the rural areas. This was a simple marriage service which was bequeathed to us by the Norsemen. The couple would make a pact before the elder of the village, who was once called a Sithcundman, this was known as the betrothal. The couple would remain together for a year and a day, whence they would agree that it was working and stay together for the rest of their days or call it a day and separate. They would then be free to pursue another relationship. This form of marriage continued throughout the 17 th and up to the 19 th. Century. Victoria’s reign saw an end to this practice.