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

The Parish

The parish of Stratton lies in northern Cornwall forming a stretch of the county's Irish Sea coastline. Stratton is located roughly 8 miles west of the small Devon town of Holsworthy and stands on the A39 road which links Bideford with Camelford. Stratton is a small market town built either side of the course of the River Neet, the oldest parts being immediately east as far as the church with more modern developments spreading westwards. Today, however, Stratton is over taken by the coastal development of Bude, at the time of this transcript merely a small fishing haven but now a major coastal resort grown through modern development to become more than twice the size of Stratton. For most of its existence Stratton has been the regional market and centre for trade & specialist skills, the wider parish being largely farmed for dairy cattle and Bude Haven supporting a small fishing fleet. It was the coming of modern developments in the form of the railway which created the explosion in growth of Bude, a branch line, connecting through Holsworthy, together with the fashion for sea bathing lead to its rise to prominence now overshadowing its mother town, that branch line has closed under Beching but motor-driven tourism still drives the area's popularity. A more strenuous visitor also appreciates the South West Way National Trail which passes through the parish with Bude a welcome stop after the exertions from Hartland. Stratton is drained southwards by the Neet, after a couple of miles it  meets with a tributary and turns back northwest to pass to the Irish Sea at Bude Haven. Stratton is sited between 40 and 80 metres above the sea with Bude standing at sea level but rising to nearly 50 metres at its eastern edges. Covering around 2,500 acres Stratton parish was not exceptional in its county, that acreage supporting a population which had exploded to almost 2,000 parishioners, the volume of marriages recorded is more typical of a population closer to 1,200. Even by Domesday times Stratton was already of sufficient size to be counted amongst the top 20% by population, held by Count Robert of Mortain its assets were valuable too offering 19 ploughs, pastures and woodland together with 10 salthouses, presumably a proto-Bude.

The Church

St Andrew's church sits uphill from the bridge over the Neet to its east and standing at the corner of Cot Hill and Diddies Road. Whilst the church is largely a product of the later medieval period it has received such thorough restoration and rebuilding in the 19th & 20th centuries that much is actually relatively modern. The church has a 12th century font which indicates an earlier church must have existed prior to this Perpendicular example. The earliest remaining fabric is that of the mid 14th century northern aisle which is documented as financed by Sir Ralph de Blanchminster in 1348 who is buried therein. The tall 15th century western tower is also late-Perpendicular in 3-stages but capped by 19th century pinnacles. Contemporary with the tower is the southern aisle and chancel which both retain Perpendicular sills and tracery within the windows. Pevsner notes that a series of restorations and rebuilds have occurred through both 19th and 20th centuries without inventory of their effects in detail, the most significant phase came in 1888 which rebuilt the southern arcade & the northern aisle and added the vestry amongst many other changes. The streets around the church are narrow and popular for parking, the lucky few can squeeze a space at the triangular small green on Cot Hill where a stone-built lychgate grants entry. The churchyard has a noticeable slope to the south so the church rather looms above the standard viewing spots, a few trees have to be avoided to the south & southeast but otherwise most angles are available for the photographer.