England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
East Budleigh All Saints

The Parish

The parish of East Budleigh lies on the southern coast of eastern Devon forming a stretch of that coastline with the English Channel. East Budleigh is located roughly 12 miles southeast of the county city of Exeter and sits on and mainly west of the B3178 road which links the modern coastal resort of Budleigh Salterton with the main east Devon coastal road (A3052) at Newton Poppleford. This is an area which has seen much change over the centuries, East Budleigh was formerly a market town and port which flourished until the River Otter, which sits to its east, ceased to be navigable. The arrival of the railway, however, created the modern resort of Budleigh Salterton which nowadays exceeds the population of East Budleigh itself, consequently during the period of this transcript the parish was suffering a reduction in population as East Budleigh faded to become a large village and before Budleigh Salterton had been more than hamlet. Today East Budleigh consist of a presence along the B3178 whilst most properties lies along the High Street and as infill in the fork between, Budleigh Salterton, despite the pebble beach is now a coastal resort stretching along the English Channel coast for over a mile. Prior to the coming of the railway East Budleigh would have been primarily a farming and fishing community, largely pastoral but some arable admixed. The railway lines, which created the 19th century resort, one running south from Ottery St Mary, the other east from EXnouth have both now been decommissioned and function as a footpath and cycleway. The nearby Otter is famous in recent times for a successful reintroduction of beavers, a sight which draws wildlife enthusiasts whilst the South West Coastal Trail finds its way through Budleigh Salterton and across the mouth of the Otter. The Otter drains the parish the rather short distance to the English Channel. East Budleigh is sited at around 20 metres above the sea, outside the Otter's broad valley bottom land rises in rolling countryside to local heights of almost 150 metres on East Budleigh Common to the west. East Budleigh parish was an extensive parish for a southern rural one,  covering a little over 2,600 acres it would have supported a population, in decline at the time of this transcript, from a peak of around 2,300 parishioners which was soon able to resurrect itself. In Domesday times East Budleigh was already an important settlement, held directly by King William it was large enough to be amongst the largest 20% of settlements recorded in that book, its assets were relatively small, however, including just 12 ploughs and the typical meadows, pastures and woodland.

The Church

All Saints' church sits on the eastern side of the High Street at the northwestern corner of East Budleigh. Whilst the church has its origins in the medieval period it is one which was much modified in the Victorian era. Its early origins is evidenced by the 13th century piscina, a simple pointed-trefoil recess of the Early English Gothic period. Nothing of that age survives in the main body of the church, Pevsner cites some work as being during the era of Bishop Lacy (1420 - 1455) which places it within the Decorated style of the first half of the 15th century, in addition there are some windows which remain of the later Perpendicular style from the latter half of that century. Major work in the Victorian era commenced with the rebuilding and extension of the chancel in 1853 which was followed by a further restoration of 1884 and it is to these two campaigns that much can be related. High Street is narrow and steep, in places, with double-yellow lines throughout indicating no parking, it is best to find parking within the village elsewhere and approach on foot. There are two main entrances, the southeastern corner off High Street being the grander of the two, the churchyard sits way above head height and the entrance from the junction with Yettington Road climbs a steep set of steps to gain entry. Whilst there are a few trees scattered around these can be avoided by the photographer.