England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Milton St Nicholas

The Parish

The parish of Milton lies in eastern Kent about 2 1/2 miles southwest of the city of Canterbury. Milton sits on the A28 road which connects Canterbury with Ashford on the eastern banks of the River Stour. Milton was largely a farming community at the time of this transcript but today it is dominated by industrial estates and gravel pits, a suburban area of the nearby city. The Stour drains the parish northeastwards through Canterbury to reach the North Sea through the port of Sandwich. Milton is sited at around 10 metres above the sea in its valley setting, within a mile or so land rises to the south to around 100 metres in gently rolling countryside. Milton parish was one of the smallest in Kent, it covered barely 300 acres and supported a population of just 10 to 20 parishioners. In Domesday times Milton was recorded under the name of nearby Horton and was one of many parishes held by Bishop Odo of Bayeux, it could offer just a single plough, a 100 acre wood but did possess 2 mills.

The Church

The dedication of Milton's church seems to be somewhat disputed; Pevsner calls it St Nicholas, other sources state St John the Baptist whilst yet more simply record it as Milton Manor Church - here we follow Pevsner. The church is relatively difficult to find sitting, as it is, behind a seemingly private industrial estate, leading off Milton Manor roundabout. Footpaths allegedly lead from Milton Manor Road but they do not exist on the ground, if needed use discretion and ask. The church is small, as befits the tiny population, consisting simply of nave and chancel topped by a western bellcote. Pevsner bemoans the restoration which has almost removed any dating evidence, the structure shows Early English Gothic features but these cannot be confidently stated to be original. Once reached the site is open and with few obstructions to photography.