England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Landrake St Michael

The Parish

The parish of Landrake lies in the extreme east of Cornwall roughly 4 miles west of the town of Saltash. Landrake sits on the former route of the A38 road which links Plymouth in Devon with Bodmin, that road now bypassing to the north. Landrake is a mid-sized hill-top village with most properties lining the former A38, Tideford Road, and further properties sitting to the east clustered around the western end of the bridge across the River Lynner at Notter Bridge; the parish also contained the chapelry of St Erney which was licensed for marriages for part of the transcript period so will have its own page within this project. Landrake had a varied economy supported by farming at its core, the area had acid soils and required constant application of lime but allowed orchards to flourish supporting a cider business as well as basic crops, the local stone was extensively quarried with stone and lime exchanged at Poldrissick Quay supported by coastal barges. Today there has been some southern expansion of the village to support it as a commuter village to the urban area formed around the Plymouth area. Landrake is drained by twin rias, to the west the Tiddy, to the east the Lynner both taking water the short distance to the English Channel. Landrake is sited at around 100 metres above the sea in this deeply dissected area full of steep slopes to the northwest the ridge on which it sits rises to 130 metres as the highest local spot near Blunts. Landrake parish excluding St Erney chapelry covered close to 2,800 acres and would have supported a population of close to 800 parishioners. At Domesday Landrake was not recorded but the manor of Tredinnick, within the area of the parish, was held by Count Robert of Mortain and offered merely a single plough as its asset.

The Church

St Michael's church stands south of the former route of the A38 on the western side of Church Street. Whilst there is mention of a church in documents dating to 1018 but nothing of that church remains, following the Conquest the first stone-built church was built on the same site and officially consecrated in 1269. The historic internal southern doorway retains 12th century Norman colonnettes whilst the church's font remains from those early times. Much of the remainder of the church dates from distinct phases of build during the Perpendicular era. The church's stand-out feature is its impressive western tower standing 100 feet in height and a landmark for many miles. The tower took around 50 years to build and was completed during the last decade of the 14th century, it comes in 3-stages and carries a north-eastern stair turret. During the 15th century the main core was rebuilt in the local Tarten Down stone from quarries employing many from the village, the continuous nave and chancel thus acquiring the northern aisle & porch and the southern transept. During the 16th century the southern porch was added to complete the basic layout. The church received a typical Victorian restoration, here in 1877, during which most roofs and windows were replaced and the chancel arch renewed. Whilst there is limited on-street parking on Church Street, prominent sins warn of the danger of damage alongside and south of the churchyard, there is more parking on Tideford Road. The churchyard is raised above road level with a short flight of steps to access it, there are difficulties for the photographer as a bank of trees sits close to the south and west but other angles are available.