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

The Parish

The parish of Doddinghurst lies in southwestern Essex about 3 miles north of the town of Brentwood. Doddinghurst sits just over a mile east of the A128 road which connects Brentwood with Chipping Ongar. Doddinghurst is a large village, much expanded in modern times with new developments. Like most Essex parishes Doddinghurst would have largely earned its living from arable farming with a supplement of a small acreage of pastures. Doddinghurst is drained southeastwards by the infant River Wid which meanders towards the North Sea coast being interrupted by the man-made presence of Hanningfield Reservoir when resumed it meets the nearby North Sea. Doddinghurst is sited at around 80 metres above the sea in gentle terrain which rises only slightly further west to reach just below 100 metres within a couple of miles. Doddinghurst parish was fairly typically sized for its area, covering around 1,800 acres it would have supported a population of close to 400 parishioners. In Domesday times Doddinghurst is recorded but with no population and just a single plough, the asset being in the hands of one Corbucion's son Robert, a smallholding if ever there was one.

The Church

All Saints' church sits, appropriately enough on the northern side of Church Lane, the main lane running from southwest to northeast through the village. Whilst the church has medieval origins in this case it is one substantially rebuilt during the Victorian restorations. Pevsner traces 13th century fabric remaining following that rework which places the origins in the Decorated style period. The southern doorway and north wall of the nave are probably the only remaining original pieces. The timber porch is also earlier but from the 16th century. All Saints main feature is its western belfry topped by a broach spire, the timber stained to near black stands in contrast to the flint of the main body. The main body of the church, as already indicated, dates from the restoration of 1887 which was extensive and amounted to a rebuild. Church Lane is sufficiently broad to permit street parking, the churchyard is hedged to the pavement with a diagonal tarred path leading to the church, the churchyard has no obstacles for the photographer.