England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Foscote St Leonard

The Parish

The parish of Foscote lies in western Buckinghamshire not too far from its border with neighbouring Northamptonshire. Foscote has had many spelling variations over the years it is variously listed as Foscott, Foxcote or Foxcott, we choose to follow the UK Ordnance Survey in spelling it as Foscote. Foscote is a tiny place, little more than a hamlet which sits about 2 miles northeast of the town of Buckingham, in lanes just over a half mile north of the A422 road which connects Buckingham with Stony Stratford. The economy of Foscote would have been almost totally based upon agriculture as it is today. Foscote is drained southwards by a small tributary of the Great Ouse which is soon joined, thence heading northeast to eventually reach the North Sea through The Wash. Foscote is sited at around 100 metres above the sea in gently rolling countryside, local heights rise a further 40 metres or so within nearby Stowe Park. Foscote parish was small for its county, barely 700 acres in extent it would have supported a population of just over 100 parishioners. In Domesday times Foscote was equally small, in the hands of Bishop Odo of Bayeux it could offer just 7 ploughs plus small meadows & woodland.

The Church

St Leonard's church has been deconsecrated and was converted into a private house in the 1970s, it stands at the main junction of lanes within the hamlet on the northern side of the triangular area so formed. Pevsner was permitted access and noted a 14th century chancel arch which is indicative of the building's era of origin. Obviously as a private dwelling access for photography is limited to the single views available from the public road.