Reading of the Banns and Cathedrals in the Regency Era

As I was writing For the Love of a Courtesan, I wanted to incorporate some historically accurate cathedral settings. I decided to pick St. James’s Cathedral to be the wedding venue for North and Kitty. However, I wanted to pull from some of the “old-style” settings.

Title: For the Love of a Courtesan

Series: Lords of Seductive Language, Book 3

Page Count: 194

Publication Date: November 27, 2024

Author: Lyrica Lovell

Pew Boxes during the Regency Era

During the Regency era, the cathedrals were a little different than they are today. For example, instead of open pews, many of the cathedrals around London had pew boxes. A family would often “own” or rent a pew box, decorate it in all of its showiness, and even add things like velvet or seat cushions to make it more comfortable. The families of the ton might also add their crest onto the pew box. Like the traditions of ladies only wearing a gown once, or prized horses, or boxes at the opera, pew boxes at church were yet another status symbol.

The Vicar’s Pulpit

The Vicar’s pulpit during this time was typically multiple tiers. The top tier was where he gave his sermons. Then, the other tiers were typically a desk for him to work at and a place for his secretary to take notes. By the Regency era, many people who attended the church were literate. So, the church became much more bible based. Often, the Vicar would spend hours preaching from the bible and leading the congregation in worship. He would even sometimes give out assigned readings from the bible. This was a major shift in the church from the days when the congregation simply blindly followed the leader into whatever the man preached. The pulpit was front and center in the church and was the main focus point. Since communion was only done five times a year during the Regency era, it was moved away from being the focal point.

What about the poor?

Not everyone in the congregation was wealthy or a member of the ton. Servants, commoners, and the peerage all attended church. Those who were not wealthy enough to rent a pew box and have it decked out could sit in a free pew in the back, or there was also a standing room. Oftentimes, the wealthy families would rent out pew boxes for their servants in the back as well, so they always had a place to sit. Since most every week, the same people attended, they usually kept the same seating. However, typically, there was a space reserved “for strangers only” that was for visitors to the church.

Where did it all go?

The pew boxes, the three-tiered pulpits, where did it all go? Well, most churches were hit with restoration, which got rid of all of it. They were reformed to the post-Georgian era, which had regular pews and only one tier to the pulpit in the early 1900s. All of the fittings that had been added during this time period were stripped away. But I find this concept of private worship boxes and a preacher on his soap box quite literally, almost a story above everyone else, to be fascinating. I decided to include many of these features in the cathedral within For the Love of a Courtesan. This book captures Kitty’s first time in one of these cathedrals.

Reading the Banns

Because of the Marriage Act of 1753, all marriages in Regency England had to take place at an official church of England. This was to prevent clandestine marriages. There were several exceptions to this rule, such as being married by a special license, being a Quaker, or being part of the royal family. In many Regency romance novels, the couples are married by special license as that seems to be the more “scandalous and fun” way to marry. Other rules under this law included that the banns must be read three Sundays in a row before a couple could get married. These had been read at the local parish church the couple attended. The couple also had to give seven days’ notice to the church’s Vicar.

What did the regency banns sound like? Well, something like this: I publish the banns of marriage between (Name of party) of the Parish of…….. and (Name of other party) of this Parish. If any of you know the cause or just impediment why these persons should not be joined together in Holy Matrimony, ye are to declare it. This is for the (first, second, third) time of asking.

There were also marriage registries kept at the church, and the only place where it was legal to marry was at your parish church, where there were at least three witnesses. However, the above-mentioned exceptions applied in this case, too. In For the Love of a Courtesan, I went all out with the cathedral scenes, wedding, and the reading of the banns. This wedding was a BIG deal in the book and, to my fictional little ton, at the time it occurred.

Regency Era Weddings

Each Regency romance author seems to have a “thing.” I’ve noticed that some always have their heroine’s own birds or other pets. Some feature disabled heroes who are missing limbs, and others have a focus on fashion or really outspoken heroines. In my books so far, my “thing” seems to be weddings. I’ve included a wedding of some kind in each of the books. In For the Love of a Damsel, the wedding is a little unconventional and takes place privately aboard a ship and then again in Scottland after the elopement while Annabelle is in her sick bed. In For the Love of a Scottish Lass, it was at a little country church around Ascog Hall, and the servants and a few friends came. Beth’s friend’s children and even her own son were involved in the wedding in roles like a flower girl and ring barrier.

In For the Love of a Courtesan, the banns are read, and Kitty attends all three readings at the cathedral. The wedding and wedding breakfast thereafter are a BIG deal, but it is all quite traditional. White wedding gowns didn’t become a thing until Queen Victoria’s wedding in 1840. So I had Kitty in a green gown.

“I publish the banns of marriage between Collin Howard, the Duke of Norfolk, and Catherine Davenport, both of the St. Jame’s Parish. If any of you know cause or just impediment why these persons should not be joined together in Holy Matrimony, ye are to declare it now or forever hold your peace. This is the second time that the banns have been read. The marriage will take place in two week’s time.”

-For the Love of a Courtesan, by Lyrica Lovell