Lord Hardwicke’s Act

Great Britain [1753]

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June 30, 2026

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Lord Hardwicke's Act of 1753 was a significant reform of English marriage laws. Prior to this act, common-law marriages, which were undertaken without a civil or religious ceremony and simply required parties to agree to consider themselves married, were valid in England.12

The Act stipulated that marriages had to be performed in Anglican churches. This reform did not apply to Scotland, where marriage laws were more lenient. Consequently, many English couples seeking to marry without parental consent or a formal ceremony would travel to Gretna Green in Scotland to elope. The Act aimed to introduce more formal requirements for marriage in England.132

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common-law marriage
…were valid in England until Lord Hardwicke’s Act of 1753. The act did not apply to Scotland, however, and for many years thereafter couples went north across the border to thwart the ban. On the European continent, common-law marriages were frequent in the Middle Ages, but their legality was abolished…
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…were valid in England until Lord Hardwicke’s Act of 1753. The act did not apply to Scotland, however, and for many years thereafter couples went north across the border to thwart the ban. On the European continent, common-law marriages were frequent in the Middle Ages, but their legality was abolished…
Read More