England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Northwood St John the Baptist

The Parish

The parish of Northwood is one of the most northerly of the Isle of Wight, sitting on the coastline, facing mainland Hampshire, and occupying much of the northwestern half of the island. Northwood village is nowadays very much a subsidiary settlement following the growth of the port of West Cowes, it sits just west of the A3020 road which connects West Cowes with the island's capital of Newport. Northwood parish was created from that of Carisbrooke in 1545 and in time West Cowes was also split away as a separate parish. The economy of the parish was dominated by that of the port of West Cowes, inland a typical southern England agricultural parish dominated by farming, mostly pastoral, but most would have been involved with maritime activities, fishing, shell-fishing, boat building & marine transport dominated. Modern developments have come and gone for Northwood, the island's railway line once ran between West Cowes & Newport but is now just a walking & cycling trail. Whilst the port and its activities still dominate the economy, tourism is also a very big earner for the inhabitants with several holiday centres dotting its extensive coastline. The ria of the River Medina sits forming the eastern border of the parish and most water drains into that heading for The Solent and the English Channel. Northwood sits upon the gentler northern terrain of the island at a height of around 60 metres above the sea, there is no land higher until the chalk ridge is reached a few miles to the south. Island parishes are either large, by southern standards or relatively small, Northwood was one of the former, covering close to 4,300 acres it would have supported a population of just over 5,000 parishioners - most of whom would have been, and still are, resident in West Cowes. In Domesday times Northwood was not specifically recorded but the manor of Luton, the home of today's church, was a small holding of King William offering just a pair of ploughs.

The Church

St John the Baptist's church sits in an isolated location just east of the A3020 and is accessed by Chawton Lane & Church Lane from that road. First impressions are deceptive with this church, the initial views of the western tower topped with its spire are Victorian but closer inspection reveals a much older building. The southern doorway, albeit set within a Victorian porch, is 12th century Norman Romanesque in style whilst the arcades show a form consistent with a date of c1200. The Victorian modifications and prettifying are extensive however. Both the tower and spire as well as the extensive roofing which Pevsner describes as "cat-slide" are evidence of substantial changes of the changes of 1864. The previous wooden tower and dormer window were removed to create this more modern piece. Chawton Lane ends at a substantial, if unsurfaced, car park allowing an extended visit, the church sits within an extensive churchyard but is sadly sited tight to the southeastern corner removing many favoured aspects from the photographer's portfolio and making for a tricky subject especially on a sunny day.