The famous ‘runaway marriages’ began in 1754, when
Lord Hardwicke’s Marriage Act came into force in England. Under the Act, if a
parent of a minor objected, they could prevent the marriage. The Act tightened
up the requirements for marrying in England and Wales, but did not apply in
Scotland, where it was possible for boys to marry at 14 and girls at 12 with or
without parental consent.
The local blacksmith and his anvil have become the
lasting symbols of Gretna Green weddings. Scottish law allowed for ‘irregular
marriages,’ meaning that if a declaration was made before two witnesses, almost
anybody had the authority to conduct the marriage ceremony. The blacksmith in
Gretna became known as ‘anvil priests.’
