England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Basildon St Bartholomew

The Parish

The parish of Basildon lies in north central Berkshire forming part of the border with neighbouring Oxfordshire, here formed by the River Thames. Basildon is constituted by two separate centres of property, Lower Basildon, hosting the church, lies on the southern banks of the Thames on the A329 road linking Reading with Wallingford, whilst Upper Basildon is a little over 2 miles southwest, high on the Downs. Modern developments have penetrated the area, the Great Western Rail line between London & Bristol came through the parish but as Basildon had no station this has not lead to commuter growth for what is still a rural parish. The farming economy would have been mixed, extensive pastures alongside the Thames providing for cattle whilst the chalk downs would have been ploughed to cereal or set to sheep. The Thames drains the parish eastwards, through Reading & the capital to the North Sea. Lower Basildon is sited at around 50 metres above the sea, whilst Upper Basildon is twice that height at 140 metres, the latter sits on a ridge which forms the local high spot. Basildon parish was fairly extensive for a lowland parish, covering just under 3,100 acres it would have supported a population of around 800 parishioners. In Domesday times Basildon was held directly by King William and was a substantial settlement for those times with a church for each of the two villages, 21 ploughs, extensive meadows and woodland plus a mill made it a wealthy place indeed.

The Church

St Bartholomew's church sits almost beside the Thames a quarter mile northeast of the A329 and accessed by a rough and ready dead-end lane. The church, nave and chancel, is largely 13th century in age, the western tower being rebuilt in attractive blue-and-red bricks is 18th century. The main style exhibited is that of the Early English Gothic which flourished through the majority of the 13th century. Pevsner cites the tracery as being typical of this era. He also, however, bemoans the over-restoration of the building which happened in the mid 1870s. En route from the A329 the access lane crosses the rail lines and on reaching the adjoining farm leads to a car park by making a left turn. The churchyard is oblong and the church sits across it diagonally with excellent sight-lines giving few obstructions to photography.