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

The Parish

The parish of Rackenford lies in northeastern Devon not too far from its border with neighbouring Somerset. Rackenford is located roughly 8 miles northwest of the market town of Tiverton and sits a mile southwest of the A361 road which links Tiverton with Barnstaple. Rackenford sits on a hill-top above the headwaters of the Little Dart River and is largely linear as a consequence with steep slopes constraining it to the east. Rackenford, at one time, aspired to become a market town with a weekly market granted in 1235 but these attempts ultimately failed and today's Rackenford is merely one amongst many Devon villages. The terrain around the parish was largely unsuitable for arable farming, indeed early gazetteers state that over a third of the parish acreage was "waste or common", the remainder would have been mainly pastoral. Some variety was provided by the local stone which was quarried for local road making and building. Rackenford is drained southwestwards and then westwards by the Little Dart River which eventually meets the Taw to the west of Chulmleigh, here water turns northwards to pass through Barnstaple and into the Irish Sea through the combined estuaries of the Taw & Torridge. Rackenford is sited at around 220 metres above the sea and some 30 metres higher than its infant river, rolling countryside rises a further 30 - 40 metres either side of the village with 271 metres being reached at the A361 and the source of the Dart. The parish acreage of almost 3,200 acres is a reflection of the amount of land needed to support a viable community, within that acreage it would hav so supported a population of around 550 parishioners. In Domesday times Rackenford was a tiny place held by Baldwin the Sheriff its assets of merely 3 ploughs backed by meadows, pastures and woodland brought a paltry income to its landholder.

The Church

All Saints' church sits almost centrally within the village at one of the main junctions within it. The earliest fabric in the church lies within the chancel and has been tentatively identified by Natural England as 13th century and of the Early English Gothic era. Such fabric is mere traces as the church was significantly enlarged and rebuilt during the 14th and particularly the 15th centuries. The former century is represented by a Decorated style window above the western door, its dating compromised, however, by later renewal efforts. Most other medieval fabric including the notable western tower is from the 15th century and Perpendicular in style. The tower comes equipped with a stair-turret at its northeastern corner. In the early 19th century work was required to prevent potential collapse and the southern side of the nave and also the porch were rebuilt in 1827. A more typical Victorian restoration followed over a sustained campaign lasting 25 years from 1877 into the 20th century. THe church sits almost opposite to the Stag Inn and street parking is commonly used to the west and south of that junction. A set of white gates grants entry into a curiously shaped churchyard which is a narrow strip paralleling that western headed lane, the primary school is rather close taking away some of the favoured southeastern aspect and leaving only a limited set of angles for the photographer.