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England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Martinhoe St Martin

 

The Parish

The parish of Martinhoe lies in the extreme north of Devon forming a stretch of the county's coastline with the Outer Bristol Channel. Martinhoe is located roughly 14 miles northeast of the port and market town of Barnstaple and sits just over 3 miles north of the A39 road linking Barnstaple through Lynton and onward to Minehead. Martinhoe is a tiny place sitting clustered around its church on a hilltop high above the picturesque Woody Bay with superb views across the Bristol Channel to the Gower coastline of Wales. This is rough upland countryside with steep slopes and open to wind and salt from the nearby sea, early gazetteers estimated at almost 50% of the parish acreage was set to "waste", a term used to describe unimproved upland grazing for largely sheep, better ground served for cattle. To the west lies the deep gash formed by the fast-flowing River Heddon where its confluence with the Bristol Channel once held a small port for both trade and fishing. Today it is tourism which drives the local economy, the scenic delights of this stretch of the Devon coastline being exploited both at Woody Bay and also by a lengthy stretch of challenging hiking trail from the South West Coastal Trail. Martinhoe is drained by both the Heddon and other similar fast-flowing becks into the nearby Bristol Channel. Martinhoe is sited at around 250 metres at its church that height being acquired in little more than a half mile of distance from sea level at Woody Bay, Martinhoe Common to the south rises to 309 metres as the highest ground for some distance. Martinhoe parish needed to be extensive to support the population, it covered a little over 2,400 acres ans supported around 250 parishioners. Domesday Martinhoe, held by Bishop Geoffrey of Coutances, was equally small with just 4 ploughs, a league of pasture and a small wood as assets.


The Church

St Martin's church lies at the heart of the tiny village on the northern side of Berry's Ground Lane on steep ground above Hollow Brook. Whilst the church has been extensively modified by later restoration in its chancel it preserves part of the original 13th century building. The 13th century Early English Gothic is well-shown by the trefoil-headed piscina. Traces of 13th century fabric still exist too in parts of the nave and tower as well as the southern porch despite the rebuilding. A two-light lancet window confirms the legacy of the Early English Gothic. The considerable rebuilding began as early as the 17th century when the northern wall of the nave was completely rebuilt. This work was followed by two phases of 19th century restoration, the early 19th century (Pevsner leaves this undated) work being largely undone by a later restoration in 1867 which replaced the chancel arch and reconstructed the porch and roofing. Berry's Ground Lane is a typical narrow Devon lane so parking may be safer away from the immediate vicinity of the entrance which has wooden gates which breach the heavily vegetated stone walling. The churchyard is open and uncluttered from the favoured southern aspects with the only obstructions confined to the northern sides.


The Records

Register No Covering Dates Deposited With Register Style Quality Standard Comments
1
15th April 1754 - 10th October 1812
North Devon Record Office - Reference - 1023A/PR/1/4
Standard preprinted and self-numbered Marriage register with 3 entries per page Grade 1 Register - Few issues noted and a low likelihood of misreads
None
2 12th February 1814 - 8th May 1837 North Devon Record Office - Reference - 1023A/PR/1/5 Standard Rose style preprinted and prenumbered Marriage register Grade 2 Register - not a perfect read but with a low likelihood of misreads None





Trentishoe St Peter
Parracombe St Petrock
Lynton St Mary
Parracombe St Petrock
Parracombe St Petrock
Parracombe St Petrock

1760 1770 1780 1790 1800 1810 1820 1830

Register Reference Date Groom Forename Groom Surname Groom Status Groom Abode Bride Forename Bride Surname Bride Status Bride Abode
1 15/04/1754 Thomas COOKE
Kentisbury Agnes BROMHAM

2 07/07/1754 John CHALDEN
Kings Nympton Joan BROHAM

3 03/02/1755 Amos SLOLEY

Mary NEWTON

5 19/04/1756 Thomas ROOKE

Joan RICHARDS

6 01/05/1756 William CORBY
Lynton Elizabeth REED

7 23/05/1756 William PUGSLEY Widower
Dorothy COULIN Widow
8 02/12/1758 Richard KNIGHT
Lynton Joan LOCK

9 24/05/1759 William BROMHAM

Elizabeth VELLACOT

10 17/06/1759 Berry Anthony GEEN

Elizabeth HOYLS
Trentishoe
11 02/02/1760 Walter FRY
Lynton Grace HARTON

12 27/02/1761 Thomas SMITH
Shirwell Wilmot LOCKE

13 30/04/1761 Richard PASMORE
North Molton Joan BROMHAM

14 30/05/1762 John LOCKE

Agnes KNIGHT
Parracombe
15 24/10/1763 Phillip DOVELL
Parracombe Grace LOCK

16 19/05/1764 John RATENBERRY Single
Elizabeth BROUGHAM Widow
17 02/07/1764 William TUCKER Single
Margaret VELLACOT Single
18 20/04/1765 David MOORE Single
Joan SMITH Single
19 05/04/1766 William SQUIRES

Grace PILE
Lynton
20 29/04/1766 Robert MOON

Thomasin VELLACOT Single
21 26/12/1767 George PUGESLEY

Mary NORMAN Single
22 05/01/1769 George PUGESLEY

Grace PILE Single
23 18/06/1770 Peter FOSSE
Ilfracombe Mary BLACKMORE Single
24 29/06/1772 William LORD

Joan FRY Single
25 17/12/1774 Amos SLOLEY

Esther NORMAN Single
26 06/04/1776 Thomas JONES

Mary WATTS Single
27 29/07/1776 John CHALDEN

Elizabeth RATTENBURY Single
28 04/08/1776 Richard BLACKMORE

Susannah LOCK Single
29 31/03/1777 John RATTENBURY

Susannah HEARDING Single
30 13/04/1780 George PILE

Joan REES

31 01/11/1780 William HOYLES

Mary LORD Single
32 10/04/1781 John FORD
Chittlehampton Frances LEY Single
33 31/05/1783 John THORN

Alice FRY Single
34 18/11/1783 Samuel LORD

Alice DINNICOMBE Single
35 20/02/1784 William LYTHEBY
Trentishoe Mary GEEN Single
36 23/01/1785 Thomas COOK

Amy PUNCHARD Single Brendon
37 15/05/1785 John RICHARDS

Agnes GEEN Single
38 09/04/1787 Walter FRY

Mary JONES Single Lynton
39 24/06/1788 Thomas CHALLACOMBE Widower Parracombe Esther SLOLEY Widow
40 16/02/1790 John RUDD

Joan BROMHAM Single
41 28/08/1790 William ROACH
Parracombe Molly JONES Single
42 17/10/1791 John SMYTH

Mary LATHAM Single
43 09/01/1792 Edward PRICE
Ilfracombe Betty DINNICOMBE

44 05/11/1792 John DYER

Joan THORNE

45 26/03/1794 Thomas JONES
Trentishoe Agnes TUCKER Single
46 06/08/1797 Thomas DYER
Lynton Mary DINNICOMBE Single
47 05/12/1797 Christopher JONES Widower
Joan WIDDEN Single
48 28/03/1798 Walter CRANG
Parracombe Joan CHALDEN Single
49 26/03/1800 Matthew LORD

Elizabeth SLOLEY Single
50 27/03/1800 John GEEN

Jane BERRY Single
51 05/07/1800 William MOOR

Mary GAMMIN

52 26/02/1802 William DOVELL
Parracombe Elizabeth BLACKMORE

53 17/01/1807 John RICHARDS Widower
Agnes BAKER Single
54 21/05/1807 Philip JONES Single Parracombe Ann LORD Single
55 11/07/1807 William JONES Single
Mary HOYLES Single
56 28/10/1809 William THORN Single
Elizabeth BERRY Single
57 14/05/1810 Nathaniel SQUIRE Single
Mary WATTS Single
58 23/02/1811 James WIDDEN Widower Trentishoe Agnes FRY

59 29/10/1811 William WHITE Single
Grace PUGSLEY Single
60 18/05/1812 Thomas LORD Single
Fanny LORD Single
61 10/10/1812 James SQUIRE Single
Ann LORD Single
1 12/02/1814 Richard JONES Single Lynton Margaret BLACKMORE Single
2 10/10/1815 Walter FRY Single
Agnes LORD Single
3 14/10/1816 John WHITEFIELD

Joan LORD Single
4 16/07/1817 John RATTENBERRY Single
Mary SMITH

5 03/10/1817 William SMITH Single
Ann SQUIRE Single
6 05/05/1818 Thomas HOYELS Single
Elizabeth LERWILL Single Parracombe
7 17/04/1820 William BERRY Single
Agnes Delbridge GRIMSHIRE Single
8 21/10/1820 John C CRANG Single
Betty JONES

9 27/01/1821 Thomas LORD Single
Ann BRAY Single
10 31/03/1821 Henry PUGSLEY Single
Mary HARRIS Single
11 31/05/1821 Amos SLOLEY Single
Agnes DENNIS Single
12 31/05/1821 William THORNE Single
Joan WIDDON Single
13 08/04/1822 George PUGSLEY Single
Mary MOORE Single
14 14/04/1823 John JONES Single
Mary LORD Single
15 14/04/1823 John COLE Single
Elizabeth WHITEFIELD Single
16 21/04/1823 James CARR Single Parracombe Grace LATHAM Single
17 27/03/1824 Thomas FRY Single
Elizabeth LOCK Single
18 17/09/1825 John RICHARDS Single
Mary GEEN Widow
19 09/11/1825 John CROCOMBE Single
Mary BROMHAM Single
20 17/07/1826 Richard WILKEY Single Challacombe Elizabeth BERRY Single
21 28/04/1827 William RATENBURY Single
Susannah ADAMS Single
22 21/04/1828 William WILLIS Single Parracombe Mary WILLIS Single
23 08/10/1828 Thomas JONES Single Lynton Mary HARDING Single
24 22/10/1831 William HARRIS Widower
Mary FLOYD Single
25 07/04/1832 William BURNELL Single
Mary HOYELS Single
26 14/05/1832 John NORMAN Single
Elizabeth LATHAM Single
27 22/05/1832 Thomas SQUIRE Single Trentishoe Catherine ABRAHAM Single
28 20/04/1833 John ROOK Single
Mary BAKER Single
29 21/04/1834 Thomas BLACKFORD Single
Maria Berry HARRIS Single
30 05/08/1834 William JONES Single
Mary Ann DOVELL Single
31 27/09/1834 Joseph CUTCLIFFE Single Combe Martin Rebecca BROMHAM Single
32 13/10/1834 George CROCOMBE Single Lynton Elizabeth WELCH Single
33 24/01/1835 Richard JONES Single
Mary LATHAM Single
34 01/08/1835 William BERRY Widower
Frances LORD Widow
35 26/04/1836 William TUCKER Single
Elizabeth FRY Single
36 29/06/1836 John WHITE Single
Elizabeth THORNE Single
37 26/12/1836 Richard WIDDEN Single Trentishoe Mary THORNE Single
38 08/05/1837 George LINCH Single Brendon Agnes RICHARDS Single

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