England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Orlestone St Mary the Virgin

The Parish

The parish of Orlestone lies in southern Kent roughly 6 miles south of the town of Ashford. Orlestone sits about a half mile west of the A2070 road which links Ashford through towards New Romney. There is no distinct village of Orlestone, the estate of Orlestone Lodge dominated the parish and created a closed parish where inbound migration was discouraged. Most of the population could be found at Hamstreet, a small crossroads village on the edges of Romney Marsh. Like most estate parishes the economy was determined by the needs of its major landholder and here arable farming took precedence. Today much of the area of the parish is commercial forestry with large green patches covering the Ordnance Survey mapping. Modern developments have come to the parish, the railway line from Ashford to Rye passing through and granting a station at Hamstreet. Orlestone is drained southwards by small streams which soon become embroiled in the works of the Royal Military Canal and then the man-made drainage system of Romney Marshes, most water makes its way through to the New Sewer and exits into the English Channel at St Mary's Bay. Orlestone is sited at around 50 metres above the sea which is more-or-less the highest ground around with nothing higher before Ashford is reached. Orlestone parish was typically sized for its area covering just over 1,800 acres which supported a population of close to 300 parishioners, most in Hamstreet with others dotted around in farmsteads and cottages. Domesday Orlestone was held by Hugh de Montfort and was a typical rural holding offering 5 ploughs backed by a small meadow and some woodland.

The Church

St Mary's church sits away from Hamstreet accessed down Church Lane which terminates at the church and Court Lodge Farm. Sadly little survives of the medieval in this church following a rebuild in 1884 and further work in the 20th century. Pevsner tries hard and succeeds in finding a 12th century crocket capital and a few Early English Gothic 13th century fragments at the western end, the western doorway, at least, is genuine and Perpendicular in style from the 15th century. The present layout of nave, lower chancel and a shingled bellcote all dates from the 1884 rebuild whilst the timber-framed southern vestry is a product of 1922. Despite the relative modernity of the church it is, however, rather picturesque. Church Lane end outside the churchyard where there is a substantial roughly surfaced parking area, the churchyard, unfortunately, has many trees gathered to the south of the church removing the favoured aspect, all other angles are available to the photographer.