England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Ulcombe All Saints

The Parish

The parish of Ulcombe sits in central Kent about 8 miles southeast of the market town of Maidstone. Ulcombe is sited in lanes about 3 miles east of the A274 road which connects Maidstone with Tenterden. Ulcombe is a rather scattered place, most lying along a north/south running lane which heads southwards from the A20 (Maidstone to Ashford) road. Ulcombe is built on the southern slopes of the Greensand Ridge and rises markedly from its southern ends to the church. The area has a mixed farming economy with much market gardening and many orchards. Ulcombe is largely drained to the southwest by a series of small tributaries of the River Beult which is met near Staplehurst, here the streams turn northwards to join the Medway and eventually the North Sea through the outer Thames Estuary. Ulcombe is sited around 70 metres above the sea but the church is some 30 metres higher than the village and land continues to rise beyond to top out on the Greensand Ridge at around 140 metres, there are fine views over the low lying Weald to Ulcombe's south. Ulcombe parish was of a fairly typical size for the area, it covered just over 3,500 acres and would have supported a population of around 750 parishioners. In Domesday times Ulcombe was held by the Archbishop of Canterbury and could offer 9 ploughs, some meadows and woodland supported 9 swine render plus a mill.

The Church

All Saints' church sits on the western side of Ulcombe's main north/south running lane, Ulcombe Hill. The church is almost totally obscured from the lane as you approach from the north by a thick barrier of dense tree cover and is marked by a sign into the farm access track with which it shares. This track forms part of the route of the local Greensand Way trail. All Saints is an ancient structure with many features dating from the Norman period of the 12th century, Pevsner believes the building was an aisle-less nave at that time. There was a considerable expansion during the 13th century with a fine rendition of the early English Gothic style especially in the rebuilt chancel. There was further rebuilding during the Perpendicular era from which period the western tower & northern chapel date. For once the Victorian restorers touch was relatively light leaving a fine church. A short distance along the access track there is a large parking area and a pathway leading into the churchyard. Unfortunately a clump of large evergreens somewhat limit the views of the western tower and restrict the best angles for photography.