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

The Parish

The parish of Southfleet lies in northwestern Kent not too far from its coastline with the outer Thames Estuary. Southfleet is located roughly 3 1/2 miles southwest of the port and market town of Gravesend and sits just under a mile south of the A2 road which links London with Canterbury. Southfleet village is the major settlement of 3 within the parish it is a mid-sized village formed around an inverted Y-junction of lanes with most properties lying in the southern fork which extends southwestwards to the 2nd largest settlement Hook Green, nowadays contiguous. To the west lies the 3rd settlement of Betsham, a small crossroads village sitting on the B262. Southfleet parish sits on the northern edges of the fore-slope of the rising ground of the North Downs, to the north of the village the gently sloping plains leading down to the Thames. Like most parishes in this area farming was the most significant part of the economy with arable dominant, early gazetteers also mention at least 10% of the parish acreage as set to woodland which would have been managed coppice. Modern developments have come to the parish, a railway line linking Darenth with Rochester passes through whilst the A2 has been upgraded to fast dual-carriageway highway which skirts the northern edge. Southfleet has porous chalk underlying thus there is very little surface drainage with most water making its way to the nearby Thames Estuary by sub-surface means. Southfleet is sited at around 30 metres above the sea, land rises steadily southward to a little ridge standing at 92 metres some of the highest ground around. Covering just over 2,500 acres Southfleet parish was typically sized for the area and would have supported a population of close to 650 parishioners. In Domesday times Southfleet was a holding of the Bishop of Rochester with assets totalling 13 ploughs backed by typical meadows & woodland.

The Church

St Nicholas' church stands slightly westwards from the main Y-junction that forms the heart of the village, the short dead-end spur of Church Street leads to the churchyard passing 5 white-painted half-timbered cottages in a very picturesque setting. St Nicholas is a rare example of a church which was clearly completed in a single campaign and entirely in a single medieval style, here it the style of the early 14th century, the Decorated. The church follows the standard layout for 14th century churches, nave and chancel with western tower, the nave comes with aisles and the western tower, of 3-stages, comes with an octagonal projecting stair-turret. The only exception to the Decorated styling is shown within the chancel where Geometrical windows, a hark back to the 13th century, alternate with Decorated versions. Like most churches St Nicholas received a Victorian restoration, here in 1867, it was focussed mainly upon the exterior appearance without adding to the layout. Church Street is short, has most parking spots filled by villagers and lacks a turning area, Warren Road opposite is a better bet for on-street parking. The churchyard is busy with trees the most impactful removing the favoured southeastern viewpoint, the photographer will need to scout around for the best views.