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

The Parish

The parish of Deane lies in central northern Hampshire about 5 miles west of the market town of Basingstoke. Deane sits on and north of the B3400 road which connects Basingstoke with Whitchurch. There is not much to Deane, little more than a hamlet with an inn on the B road, the parish was dominated by the owners of Deane House and functioned as a closed parish thus not developing into a normal village. Despite its rural location modern communications are close by with the London to the south west rail line passing to the north. At the time of this transcript Deane was a quiet rural backwater dominated by the estate and farming on the heavy clay soils which encouraged a more pastoral regime. Deane holds the source of the River Test which drains the parish westwards eventually reaching the English Channel through the port of Southampton. Deane is sited around 100 metres above the sea in gently rolling countryside, local heights rise to just over 150 metres to the north and south. Deane parish was small, it had been split to separate Ashe as a separate parish in the 17th century, it covered almost 1,600 acres and supported a population of around 150 parishioners. In Domesday times Deane was equally small, held by William of Eu it could offer just 10 ploughs and a small wood.

The Church

All Saints' church sits within the grounds of the estate on the northwestern edge of Deane. This is not a mediaeval church having been rebuilt in 1818 at the expense of the Bramston family. It is, however, a fine example of early 19th century Gothic according to Pevsner who seems quite struck by the building. Following the standard nave, chancel and western tower layout the church is augmented by the southern porch. The church is accessed by footpath from the sharp bend in the lane leading north from the B4300, a prominent white gate and footpath sign lead the way across fields on a tarred pathway. The churchyard is heavily populated with mature trees making for a tricky subject to adequately photograph.