England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Heckfield St Michael

The Parish

The parish of Heckfield lies in the extreme north of Hampshire forming a stretch of the county's border with neighbouring Berkshire. Heckfield is located roughly 9 miles due south of the Berkshire town of Reading and sits on the B3349 road which links Reading with Hook. Heckfield is a large extensive parish with most areas sparsely dotted with farms and cottages, there are distinct settlements, Heckfield, itself, is a small cluster of properties mainly west of the B3349 and holding the church and the 18th century house of Highfield Place, now a luxury hotel and conference centre; to the south lies the chapelry of Mattingley, actually the larger settlement today. a linear village lining the B3349 for over a half mile, the chapelry was not licensed for marriages during the transcript period. Much of Heckfield parish sits on low quality Eocene sands and gravels making for poor soils and limited farming, less than half the parish acreage was arable, only 25% pastures and the remainder largely heath and common. Heckfield is drained northwards by a combination of the Whitewater River, to the east, and the River Loddon, to the west, both meeting northwards and flowing into Berkshire where they meet the Thames in Reading's eastern suburbs, the Thames takes water through the capital to the North Sea via it estuary. Heckfield is sited at around 80 metres above the sea with Mattingley some 20 metres lower, to the northwest of Heckfield the Wellington Monument sits within the Duke of Wellington's parkland estate of Stratfield Saye Park and is the highest ground for some distance at 82 metres. As already mentioned Heckfield parish was extensive, one the largest in its county and covering almost 5,700 acres, that acreage being necessary to support around 1,300 parishioners given the poor quality soils. In Domesday times both Heckfield and Mattingley were recorded, then Heckfield was the larger settlement, held by Hugh de Port and offering 10 ploughs, meadows & woodland and a mill; Mattingley, held by a Saxon survivor Brictsi's son Alsi, contributed a further 3 ploughs, a meadow and a second mill.

The Church

St Michael's church sits cheek by jowl with the hotel & conference centre of Highfield Park to the west of the B3349 and accessed from that hotel's car park. Whilst the church has its origins in the 13th century it is one which has been much restored with little original fabric remaining from those Early English Gothic times, both nave and chancel were originally 13th century but both have been restored and rebuilt during Victorian and earlier times. Only the restored east window of the chancel merits an approximate dating from Pevsner being after 1383 and Perpendicular. The church's stand-out feature is its western tower which carries a date of c1500 and is made in a coursed brown conglomerate now revealed after the original render was removed. It carries a prominent southeaster stair turret. The church's northern chapel is roughly contemporary with the tower but slightly late in the 16th century. The major Victorian restoration of 1876-7 saw most change to the basic structure, the nave and chancel were restored, the northern aisle rebuilt using a Decorated style and replace the 16th century brick arcade with a 4-bay stone version. Church Lane leaves the B3349 with prominent signs indicating the route to both the church and hotel soon after a right fork leads through formal gate-posts and onwards to the hotel car park. The church sits immediately north of the hotel and is accessed directly from the car park. The western and northern sides of the church are slightly enclosed within trees but the favoured aouthern aspects are clear for the photographer.