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

The Parish

The parish of Kirk Langley lies in central southern Derbyshire about 5 miles northwest of the county town of Derby. Kirk Langley is a small and compact village lying on the A52 road which connects Derby with Ashbourne, most properties lie to the west of the road. Kirk Langley parish also included the area shown on today's maps as Meynell Langley albeit that area is nowadays just a scatter of farms and cottages. The principal economy of this area would have been dairy farming with pastures forming the majority of landuse - today arable has made a penetration thanks to the efficiency of modern machinery and fertilisers. Kirk Langley is separated from Meynell Langley by the headwaters of the Mackworth Brook which drains the parish southeastwards to join the Derwent at Derby, the latter joins the Trent at Long Eaton making its long journey to the North Sea through the Humber Estuary. Kirk Langley is sited at around 110 metres above the sea and sits in rolling countryside, the fore-hills of the Peak District lying to the north, the local heights around Kirk Langley rise to around 150 metres within a couple of miles. Upland Derbyshire parishes tend to be quite extensive and Kirk Langley is larger than the lowland versions, covering just under 2,500 acres it would have supported close to 650 parishioners. In Domesday times Kirk Langley was a tiny place, held by one Ralph son of Hubert, it held just 6 households and offered just 3 ploughs alongside some woodland.

The Church

St Michael's church sits at the heart of the village on the southern side of Church Lane, which runs westwards from the A52. The church is a fairly typical example of a 14th century building, begun when Decorated style was fashionable, the build continuing into the Perpendicular period. Lancet windows in the chancel may even be indicative of this section having been commenced in the 13th century, other features are consistent with the 14th century. The main Perpendicular features are typical of the later stages of church build, the top stage of the western tower and the clerestory being notable. Unfortunately the church has been extensively restored in Victorian times both in 1839 and 1885 which have wrought significant changes both externally and to the interior too. Church Lane is sufficiently wide enough to permit careful parking, the church sits in a slightly elevated position banked by a low ivy-covered wall. Entrances at both western and eastern ends of the site grant entry, there are a few trees to the south impeding the optimal angles for photography.