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

The Parish

The parish of Loddiswell lies in southern Devon roughly 3 miles north of the town of Kingsbridge. Loddiswell sits just under 2 miles northwest of the A361 which connects Kingsbridge with Totnes. Loddiswell is a substantial linear village sitting on strongly rising ground west of Devon's River Avon. The centre is the northernmost part forming a notable head to the village whilst properties straggle down the hill to the New Bridge over the Avon at its southernmost point. Loddiswell parish was oblong in shape with its long axis parallel to the course of the Avon and stretching northwards as far as Blackdown Rings an archaeological complex of Iron Age hill-fort and Norman motte-and-bailey. Much of the terrain within the parish is strongly undulating with deeply incised valleys and few flat slopes, this terrain was largely unsuitable for arable farming but the rich pastures benefited the traditional dairy cattle of the area. Modern development came and went from the parish, the valley of the Avon saw a branch railway line which connected Kingsbridge with Brunel's Great Western line from Exeter to Plymouth but is now closed and largely dismantled. Loddiswell is drained southwards by the Avon which makes the short journey to the English Channel arriving to the east of Bigbury on Sea and Burgh Island. Loddiswell rises from just 10 metres above the sea at the New bridge to over 100 metres at its northernmost point, land continues to rise northwards as far as Blackdown Rings where a spot height on the B3196 at Coldharbour Cross reaches 178 metres, the local high spot in strongly undulating countryside. Covering a little under 3,100 acres Loddiswell parish was one of the larger in its area, that acreage would have supported a population of close to 1,050 parishioners. Even by Domesday times Loddiswell was a substantial manor with 44 households it was large enough to be a member of the 20% club large populated settlements, held by one Iudhael of Totnes, a prominent Norman in the Devon Hams, its assets of 10 ploughs, backed by meadows, pastures and woodland, the manor also held a fishery.

The Church

St Michael's church sits at the northeastern corner of the village almost on its highest altitude. The church has its origins in the 13th century Early English Gothic period whence the nave, chancel, northern transept, chancel chapels and western tower were all constructed seemingly in a single campaign. Pevsner points to the style of both the sedilia and piscina as well as the simple double-chamfered arches between transept and chancel as good indicators of the style. The western tower is buttressed for its lower stages and also has a short stair-turret which, like the buttresses, stops well short of the battlemented top. The later Perpendicular period saw the addition of a southern aisle, its insertion requiring almost the removal of what had once been a southern transept, the aisle probably is early 15th century. For once Pevsner fails to mention a Victorian restoration so if one happened it was clearly light and sensitive. In front of the churchyard gates sits a neat semi-circular village green allowing parking here or in the small space immediately external to the gates. The churchyard is open and uncluttered with no obstacles whatsoever for the photographer.