England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Preston St Andrew

The Parish

The parish of Preston lies in southern Dorset forming a stretch of the county's English Channel coastline. Preston is located roughly 3 miles northeast of the port & resort of Weymouth and sits on the A353 road, a linking road connecting Weymouth with the A352 (Dorchester to Wareham) road. Preston is a much changed place, early maps show Preston as a compact village sitting either side of the A353 and mostly west of the parish church, in addition to the north sits the smaller hamlet of Sutton Poyntz set into a partially dry valley in the chalk downs. Today Preston has grown into a holiday resort with a large modern development fringing the neighbouring nature reserve of Lodmoor Country Park and a large static caravan site fringing the coastline. Such has been its expansion and the growth of Weymouth that only Lodmoor stands as open space preventing the two coalescing. Prior to the 20th century growth Preston would have primarily been a typical chalk farmland parish with sheep grazing the billowing downs that form most of the parish's acreage, in addition the stone was also quarried for its flint and for burning the chalk for lime. In addition to holidaymakers Preston also receives hikers following the Dorset stretch of the South West Coastal National Trail before setting out for the beauties of Lulworth to the east. Preston is drained by its own little river the River Jordan which flows down from that dry valley to the English Channel at Bowleaze Cove. Preston is sited at between sea level and 20 metres at the parish church, inland broad chalk downs rapidly rise to summits such as White Horse Hill at 158 metres and Bincombe Hill at 162. Covering just over 2,600 acres Preston parish was larger than many in this area and that acreage would have supported a population, including Sutton Poyntz of around 650 parishioners. Preston is not mentioned in Domesday Book.

The Church

St Andrew's church sits just south of the A353 accessed along Church Road which is shares with the entrance to the substantial static caravan site. Roughly 3 centuries of the later medieval period cover the building history of this church from the 14th to 16th centuries it was built,and expanded repeatedly. At its core is the early 14th century nave in the Decorated style complete with its 4-bay arcade. Whilst this was completed in the 14th century it was much altered in the 15th century when the chancel and southern porch were either added or rebuilt from 14th century originals. As a largely 15th century structure the chancel is firmly in the Perpendicular period. Whilst the eastern end was completed in the 15th century it was not until the 16th that today's structure was completed with the addition (or rebuild) of the western tower in 2 stages and battlemented. The church stayed this way until 1855 when a major Victorian restoration thoroughly polished the existing church. Church Road has on-street parking and a widened verge just south of the early 20th century lychgate which serves as entry, to the church's west lies the entrance to the holiday centre. The churchyard presents something of a challenge for the photographer as close set trees crowd the eastern and southeast removing some of the favoured angles, all other angles are, however, available for the photographer.