Lord Hardwicke’s Act

Great Britain [1753]

Learn about this topic in these articles:

In 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…
Read More