England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Little Linford St Leonard & St Andrew

The Parish

The parish of Little Linford lies in Northern Buckinghamshire close to its border with neighbouring Northamptonshire. Little Linford lies about 2 miles northwest of the market town of Newport Pagnell, it is a very small settlement with no village as such merely a scatter of farms and cottages surrounding the eponymous hall. Little Linford is located just to the west of the modern M1 motorway in lanes which lead from Newport Pagnell westwards. Considering Little Linford's rural location it is sited in a major transport corridor as the main London to Birmingham rail lines lies just 2 miles west of the hamlet too. Little Linford's farming regime was heavily influenced by its geography, lying as it does in the heavy clay soils of the flood plain of the River Great Ouse which flows through the parish heading northeastwards to eventually reach The Wash. Little Linford is sited at around 70 metres above sea level with most properties lying on the edge of the immediate plain of the river thus keeping their feet dryer. The parish was always a small one even by Buckinghamshire standards, it covered a mere 600 acres and would have supported less than 100 parishioners. In Domesday times Little Linford was held by one Bishop Geoffrey of Coutances and supported just 4 ploughs although it did possess a mill as well as small meadows and woodlands.

The Church

St Leonard & St Andrew's church sits at the end of Church Lane alongside Little Linford Hall. The church is old, almost all the fabric is dated by Pevsner to the 13th century including nave chancel, bellcote and north arcade. He places the south arcade in the following century. Despite this great age there is clearly nothing significantly exciting about its architecture as he dismisses the building in less than 10 lines. The church is accessed around the hall grounds and is only accessible on foot from Church Lane. Whilst there are some mature trees on site views are not unduly restricted.