England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Edmondthorpe St Michael

The Parish

The parish of Edmondthorpe is, by a small margin, the most easterly in Leicestershire and the parisj consequently has an extended border with neighbouring Rutland, a small portion also border Lincolnshire. Edmondthorpe is located roughly 6 miles north of the Rutland county town of Oakham and 7 miles east of Melton Mowbray. Edmondthorpe is a tiny place, little more than a hamlet which sits within an area devoid of major numbered roads, the closest such road being the B676 which sits some 3 or more miles north of Edmondthorpe and which connects Melton Mowbray with Colsterworth on the A1 (Great North Road). Most properties in Edmondthorpe lie along a narrow lane, running from the Wymondham to Teigh lane, in the direction of the ruined Edmondthorpe Hall, it is likely that the parish was a closed parish with most land in the hands of  single land-holder who restricted inbound migration. The countryside hereabouts is classic "hunting country", small fields, mainly set to pasture, with tall hedged boundaries. Modern developments have come to Edmondthorpe, however, the Oakham Canal runs just south of the hamlet albeit is no longer used, whilst the Oakham to Melton Mowbray rail line skirts the western edge of the parish. Edmondthorpe is drained westwards by small tributaries of the River Eye which is met just beyond the rail line, the Eye morphs into the Wreake then joins the Soar at Leicester followed by the Trent at Long Eaton, here things turn back east on a long journey to the North Sea arriving through the Humber Estuary. Edmondthorpe is sited at around 110 metres above the sea in undulating countryside which reaches spot heights of 140 metres to the northeast. Edmondthorpe parish was fairly typically sized for its area, covering just under 1,700 acres it would have supported a population of close to 250 parishioners. In Domesday times Edmondthorpe was a holding of Henry de Ferrers and a profitable one too, offering 21 ploughs and some meadows to its landholder.

The Church

St Michael's church sits on the southern side of Main Street, as the lane that leads past the former hall is named. The church has its origins in the 13th century from which Early English Gothic period the main fabric remaining is the western tower, albeit with a much later Perpendicular topping. The main body of the church is later, in the Decorated style of the early 14th century, the nave and chancel augmented with matching aisles of a similar date. Once the church was apparently completed by the mid-14th century change began almost immediately, the tower top with its quatrefoiled lozenge frieze was added and the main body was made lighter by the insertion of a clerestory, a typical feature of the 15th century designed to improve the internal lighting of the church. For once Pevsner fails to mention a Victorian restoration so if one occurred it was light and sensitive. Whilst Main Street is rather narrow the verge on its northern side is obviously well-used for parking. The church, however, sits within a very compact churchyard, barely metres from its northern edges consequently the better views are from the north, the southern aspects are also available for the photographer.