England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Paglesham St Peter

The Parish

The parish of Paglesham lies in the extreme southeast of Essex roughly 6 miles northeast of the resort of Southend on Sea, given the River Roach stands in the way that 6 miles is calculated as the gull flies. Paglesham forms a lengthy stretch of the intricate creek-filled coastline of eastern Essex, it stands many miles from any significant numbered roads and given it proximity to the glitz and glamour of Southend is surprisingly remote. Paglesham is a distributed village with several small centres of settlement, Paglesham Church End which obviously holds the parish church is the largest but closely matched by Paglesham Eastend which sits close to the River Roach. The parish also includes the western portion of Wallasey Island, nowadays holding an important wildlife site. Most of the land is set to arable, the rivers held back by levees, early gazetteers placed it at almost 66% of the total acreage and the remainder being largely grazing marshes. In the very north of the parish sits Lion Wharf and Paglesham would have undoubtedly partaken in both the coastal movement of goods and also the rich shellfish, especially oysters, of the river systems. Paglesham sits in between the Roach, to the south, and the Crouch, to the north, both draining through intricate channels into the nearby North Sea. Paglesham is sited at just 2 metres above the sea with most of the parish at or even lower than that height, to the west after a couple of miles ground rises just enough to clip the 10 metre contour in largely flat terrain. Paglesham parish covered a little over 1,800 acres so was typically sized for its area, that acreage would have supported a population of close to 450 parishioners. In Domesday times Paglesham was a rather small rural manor yet shared between no fewer than 5 landholders, aggregated their assets netted just 5 ploughs and some small pastures.

The Church

St Peter's church stands at the eastern end of the lane which forms the backbone of this small settlement, just beyond the church the lane branches into several footpaths to both north, south and east. There has been a church here since the earliest times, the early church was built in the 12th century in the Norman Romanesque style but was almost entirely rebuilt in 15th century, a few fragments remain of that early church with 3 Norman -styled windows but they are much restored. The main body of nave and chancel was rebuilt, replacing that early structure, in the 15th century style of the Perpendicular. At the same time or soon after the western tower was added complete with the then fashionable battlements. Little changed thereafter until the typical Victorian restoration of 1883, this was a thorough affair which not only carried out restoration but also added a northern vestry and organ chamber and the southern porch. The entrance to the south bound footpath is broad allowing it to be used as a small car park for visitors and hikers alike. Regrettably in this rather open landscape the churchyard is an oasis of trees which make for a headache for the photographer seeking adequate views.