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

The Parish

The parish and former market town of Thatcham lies in the extreme south of West Berkshire, indeed it forms part of the border with neighbouring Hampshire. Thatcham's market is long defunct but it still merits the term town as it has greatly expanded in recent times. Thatcham is located astride the A4 (London to Bath) road about 3 miles east of the larger market town of Newbury. At the time of this transcript Thatcham would largely have clustered around the A4 and its junctions with several minor lanes heading to north and south, in recent times Thatcham has grown markedly and spreads for more than two miles along the A4 and a mile or so to its north and south. The town sits in the valley of the River Kennet and this forma s major transportation corridor, not only the river, A4 but also the Kennet & Avon Canal and London to the West railway follow this valley route through Thatcham parish. The parish also incorporated the chapelries of Midgham & Greenham which also held their own marriages. At the time of this transcript most would have been employed in agriculture, a mixed regime with arable on the drier slopes and pastures in the Kennet valley, although a paper mill at Colthrop provided some variation to employment. The kennet drains the parish eastwards to join the Thames at Reading before reaching the North Sea through London. Thatcham is sited at around 70 metres above the sea although the northern portion of the parish rose to heights closer to 120 metres. Thatcham parish, including its chapelries, was one of the larger in Berkshire and covered almost 11,000 acres (more reminiscent of a northern parish) and supported a population in excess of 4,200 parishioners. In Domesday times Thatcham was held directly by the King and could offer 25 ploughs, meadows & woodland as well as a mill.

The Church

St Mary's church is sited just south of the A4 in the heart of the former village. There is evidence within the fabric of a Norman origin to the building, the southern doorway shows Norman features and the northern arcade has characteristics of the early 13th century. Much else, however, has been masked by the actions of Victorian restorers whence a major restoration took place in 1857. Traces remain from Decorated & Perpendicular styles which indicate the church was a continuing structure subject to almost regular update and addition. St Mary's sits on the northern side of Church Gate, a loop road running south from the A4, the church sits in a rather large churchyard surrounded by a low brick wall. Gates grant entry at both eastern and western ends of the site and the churchyard is sufficiently open to allow adequate photographic angles.