Just been looking through the marriage records for All Saints in Hindley, I was surprised to find that many marriages there from about 1760 to about 1802 were to people from Wigan, Pemberton, Orrell etc., anyone know why? Seems puzzling that they would travel that far in those days, wouldn't they have a closer church?

An example:

Marriage: 20 Nov 1797 All Saints, Hindley, Lancashire, England
John Higham - Widower of Upholland Township, Wigan Parish
Betty Halliwell - Widow of Upholland Township, Wigan Parish
Witness: Richd. Cawley; Thos. Berry
Married by Banns by: John Croudson Curate
Register: Marriages 1754 - 1807, Page 27, Entry 102
Source: LDS Film 93751

and another:

Marriage: 30 Oct 1803 All Saints, Hindley, Lancashire, England
James Foster - (X), Widower of Winstanley Township
Ann Houghton - (X), Widow of Orrel Township
Witness: Wm. Goldin; Wm. Chisnall
Married by Banns by: John Croudson Curate
Register: Marriages 1754 - 1807, Page 91
Source: LDS Film 93751

dave. that confused me , my 3d great grandfather born and bred in pemberton also his wife , they were married in 1811 at all saints hindley . someone on here suggested the wife was probally working in that area .all my other descendants prior and after were married at st johns , st marks , or thomas the martyr .the hindley one really confused me

Yes, it's a bit strange really, I'd accept that for a year or two, maybe something was being re-built in Wigan, so they travelled elsewhere, but not doing so for many years, now I thought that really odd. Today, most marriages are held on a Saturday, but in those days, they'd happen on any day of the week. This site gives you the day of the week for a given date from 1752, when the calendar changed.

dave thanks for that link , really handy

I reckon that anybody getting married in another parish to the one they live in, were doing it because their parish priest had refused them.
It still happens today. People will travel to get married in another church if they have been refused because of divorce etc.. Many years ago, having children out of wedlock, re-marrying after divorce, re-marrying after spouse has died, etc. was frowned upon.

In the case of the two examples, both are listed as 'widower and widow', and both couples were from Upholland, which had it's own parish church with records going back to 1600.

Probably!

my great aunt born out of wedlock, was married at st johns pemberton . she had to take her mothers maiden name on marriage .

In the old days it was not unusual for toe local clergy to refuse to perform a marriage ceremony for someone who didn't attend church regular.
Just a thought.

They're travelling quite some distance

Marriage: 8 Jun 1735 All Saints, Hindley, Lancashire, England
John Green - Labourer of Anlizark
Alice Thornley - Spinster of Rivington
Married by Virtue of a License granted by the Revd. M. Aldersey
Source: LDS Film 93751

Marriage: 30 Mar 1741 All Saints, Hindley, Lancashire, England
John Vale - Labourer of Flixton
Sarah Royle - of Flixton
Married by Virtue of a License granted by the Revd. Mr. Farington of Leigh
Source: LDS Film 93751

it may have something to do with work,people moved round quite a bit to obtain work.It might be a good idea if any new or expanding firms were in Hindley at that time.