In a message dated 27/01/2009 08:32:42 GMT Standard Time,
wls-merionethshire-request(a)rootsweb.com writes:
how to get a marriage licence 1876
Anita,
They only apply to what, at that time in Wales, was the Church of England,
which covered parish churches.
There were at least four types of marriage licence:
Special licence - very rare - granted by Archbishop of Canterbury
Vicar-General licence - for couples living in different dioceses
Faculty Office licence - for couple living in different ecclesiastical
provinces eg Province of Canterbury and Province of York
Common licence - most frequent which could be granted by any clergyman from
the bishop down to the local vicar/rector - technically it was used if the
couple wanted to marry in a parish where neither of them lived, but was by that
time used by gentry and often by socially aspiring people who might well live
in the parish where they married.
The actual marriage licence was given to the couple, but allegations and
bonds survive - have you looked at the marriage bonds held at the NLW - there is
an index on their site online.
Pam Buttrey