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

The Parish

The parish of Ludgershall lies in the extreme west of Buckinghamshire forming part of the county's boundary with neighbouring Oxfordshire. Ludgershall is located about 6 miles southeast of the Oxfordshire town of Bicester and lies 2 miles south of the A41 road which connects Bicester with Aylesbury and which follows the ancient Roman Road of "Akeman Street". Ludgershall is a medium sized village which is largely built around a square of lanes, it lies within the Vale of Oxford sitting upon stiff clays of the Jurassic era. In the past these difficult to work soils have resulted in a more pastoral landscape than is common in southern England but with the advent of modern machinery today a typical arable landscape can be found. Modern developments have come to Ludgershall, the Bicester to London railway line passes just south of the village albeit Ludgershall has no station. Several small tributaries of the River Ray drain northwards into that river, turning westwards until the Ray merges with the Cherwell and turns back southwards to join the Thames at Oxford and thence through the capital to the North Sea. Ludgershall is sited at around 70 metres above the sea, a general level for the area but which is interrupted by the isolated outcrop of Muswell Hill which dominates the area rising to 197 metres and which stands 2 miles southwest of Ludgershall. Ludgershall parish is fairly typically sized for this area, covering just over 2,700 acres it would have supported a population of close to 550 parishioners. In Domesday time the greater portion of Ludgershall was held by Bishop Geoffrey of Coutances with a smaller holding one William the son of Magne, collectively their holdings totalled an impressive 19 ploughs together with the usual meadows, pastures and woodland.

The Church

St Mary's church lies to the south of the southwestern corner of Ludgershall's square of lanes on the eastern side of the lane heading for Brill. St Mary is largely a church of the 14th century, a typical example of a church begun in the early part of that century in the Decorated style and finished, or indeed reworked, in the later Perpendicular style which followed. The oldest parts, the chancel arch and piscina are in the earlier style whilst the southern porch and western tower (which shows signs of having been an addition to the pre-existing nave) are examples of the latter style. The windows of the chancel show signs that the Perpendicular period saw restoration as they are perpendicular built into a Decoarated style base. There are also signs that the roofs of the chancel and nave had to be reworked around the turn of the 16th into 17th century and as usual there was the Victorian restoration, in this case in the 1880s to result in today's church. Brill Road is fairly narrow and parking should be considerate, the churchyard is hedged to the lane with wooden gates granting entry to a churchyard which has few obstructions to photography.