England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Chedington St James

The Parish

The parish of Chedington lies in northwestern Dorset not too far from its border with neighbouring Somerset. Chedington is located roughly 4 miles north and stands a half mile west of the A356 road which links Dorchester through to Crewkerne in Somerset. Chedington sits high in the bordering hills between the two counties, contouring around a wooded hillside with twin parallel lanes on which most properties lie. Much of this small parish is set to pasture as slopes are steep and unsuitable for modern machinery, a few patches of arable vary the mix. Chedington stands upon a notable watershed, to the north the River Parrett rises and heads off northwestwards through the Somerset levels to reach the outer Bristol Channel, meanwhile to the south the River Axe rises, heads westwards and then southwards to reach the English Channel at Seaton. Chedington is sited on sloping ground which rises from 170 to 190 metres above the sea, to the east the A356 follows the ridge-top reaching 250 metres at a spot height above nearby Corscombe, the highest ground around. Chedington is one of the smallest parishes in its county covering merely 773 acres and supporting close to 200 parishioners. Chedington is not mentioned in Domesday Book.

The Church

St James' church has been deconsecrated and sold as private house, it stands at the eastern end of the village and is surrounded by high hedgerows and almost invisible from public roads. The church is a Victorian replacement for "old St James" which stood a little further to the north. The former church was completed in 1841 and is a simple nave and chancel design with a western bellcote. Despite its relatively modern construction work was done in 1898 to add a western baptistry and southeastern vestries. Given the sale of the property access is no longer available.