England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Wimpole St Andrew

The Parish

The parish of Wimpole lies in southwestern Cambridgeshire not too far from its border with neighbouring Bedfordshire. Wimpole is located about 8 miles north of the Hertfordshire market town of Royston and sits on the A603 road which connects it through to Cambridge. Wimpole is a reorganised estate village, the original village of Wimpole has been largely removed as part of landscaping efforts and today's Wimpole is a mere scatter of properties along the A603. Wimpole Hall and grounds, today managed as a tourist attraction by The National Trust (entrance fees payable), is described by Pevsner as the "most spectacular country mansion of Cambridgeshire". The house, commenced in the early 18th century and landscaped grounds dominate the parish and would have employed most of the able parishioners at the time of this transcript. Wimpole is drained southeastwards by a small tributary of the River Cam which is joined after 4 or so miles turning northeastwards to pass through Cambridge, joining the Great Ouse south of Ely and reaching the North Sea through The Wash. Wimpole is sited at around 30 metres above the sea in fairly gentle countryside rising, away from the Cam valley, to local heights of around 80 metres to Wimpole's west. Wimpole parish was fairly typically sized for this area of the county, covering close to 2,500 acres it would have supported a population of around 450 parishioners. In Domesday times Wimpole was shared between Eudo the Steward and Count Alan of Brittany and was a small place collectively offering just 6 ploughs and small meadows.

The Church

St Andrew's church lies within the estate and is usually open and not subject to the fee paying required to visit house & garden, a visitor is best to check as the fee is large for such a visit. A large car park allows a visit and the church lies to the east of the house. A 14th century mediaeval church was the original place of worship but that, along with its village was removed to "improve the view" from the house. Today's St Andrew was built as the ecclesiastical counterpoint to the grand mansion in 1749. In 1887, however, a major change was made following the fashion for all things mediaeval and all but the entrance bay with its bell turret and decorum was turned to the Decorated style. Only the northern chapel remains from the 14th century. The church is packed with monuments and one is especially poignant for this project, the memorial and final resting place of Lord Hardwicke, who's Act created the style of register from 1754 onwards which this project acknowdges.