England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Melchbourne St Mary Magdalene

The Parish

The parish of Melchbourne lies in northern Bedfordshire quite close to its border with both neighbouring Northamptonshire and also to Huntingdonshire, the detached Huntingdonshire parish of Swineshead forms part of Melchbourne's boundaries. Melchbourne sits about 5 miles east of the Northamptonshire town of Rushden. Melchbourne sits in lanes in a large area without significant main roads, the closest being the A6 route which links Rushden with Bedford and which lies some 3 miles southwest of Melchbourne. The village is small and grouped around Melchbourne House and its associated Park. The area would largely have been used for arable farming although the parkland would also have supported pastures. Small brooks drain the parish eventually forming the Rivers Til & Kym which feed into the Great Ouse at St Neots eventually to reach the North Sea though The Wash. Melchbourne is sited at around 70 metres above sea level and the landscape undulates gently by 20 or so metres from that height hereabouts. Melchbourne parish was of a fairly typical size for Bedfordshire, it covered around 2,600 acres and would have supported a population of around 270 parishioners. In Domesday times Melchbourne was held by one Bishop Geoffrey of Coutances and offered 10 ploughs as well as some woodland and pigs.

The Church

St Mary Magdalene's church sits at the end of a dead-end lane (Park Road) which heads south from the main village lane to the park entrance. The church is very much an estate church and little remains of the mediaeval about this building. The bulk of the fabric dates from the late 18th century with only the western tower being from an earlier building probably 13th century. The church appears too large for its congregation with northern and southern aisles as well as the standard nave, chancel and western tower design. The building clearly has little to interest Pevsner and he rather churlishly criticizes the stained glass (20th century) describing it as "gaudy". The church sits behind a neat picket fence with hedging and a wooden gate grants access to the churchyard. There are rather a lot of trees which do somewhat limit the angles for photography.