England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
South Moreton St John the Baptist

The Parish

The parish of South Moreton lies in north central Berkshire within that part of the county which was transferred to Oxfordshire in the 1974 Local Government Reorganisation. South Moreton is located about 3 miles west of the Thames-side town of Wallingford. South Moreton is a small and compact village sitting in lies a couple of miles south of the A4130 road which links Wallingford with Didcot. Modern communications transect the parish as the London to Bristol rail line passes between South Moreton and its northern neighbour, North Moreton. At the time of this transcript South Moreton would have been a farming community with a mixed farming regime in place, arable dominating over pastures; today arable is more dominant still. South Moreton is drained by a small tributary of the Thames, the Mill brook which heads eastwards to join that river at Wallingford and thence to the North Sea through London and the Thames Estuary. South moreton is sited at around 50 metres above the sea and sits on the Thames floodplain, a plain in fact as well as name as local heights vary little until rising to 110 metres on Blewburton Hill some two miles southwest. South Moreton parish was of a fairly typical size for this area, it covered just over 1,400 acres and would have supported a population of about 400 parishioners. In Domesday times South Moreton was recorded as a joint return with North Moreton, the joint parishes were shared 3 ways between William (son of Corbucion), William Lovett & Henry Visdeloup. Collectively they offered 13 ploughs, small meadows and two mills.

The Church

St John the Baptist's church lies to the south of South Moreton's main street, it sits on the banks of the Mill Brook at the end of a roughly surfaced lane heading south from the main street. Four distinct period are represented within the fabric, the earliest (dated to the 11th century by Pevsner) being the doorway in the western wall together with features of southern arcade. Much comes from the 13th century represented by the aisles and bays. There was clearly a major rebuild during the Perpendicular period as most windows date from that period whilst the bellcote was added during restorations in the 19th century. The church has a small parking area at the end of the lane and sits behind a rough stone wall, a wooden gateway granting access to the churchyard. Whilst there are a few trees grouped around the western end, there are sufficient views from the south to satisfy photography.