England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Horninghold St Peter

The Parish

The parish of Horninghold lies in the extreme southeast of Leicestershire not too far both of the county's borders, with Rutland and with Northamptonshire. Horninghold is located about 4 miles southwest of the Rutland market town of Uppingham and sits just over a mile northwest of the meandering B664 road which links Uppingham with Market Bosworth. Horninghold is a small estate village dominated by the Hall's 5 acre estate at the heart of what has been termed "the prettiest village in Leicestershire". Horninghold sits in countryside often called "hunting country", small hedged fields with copses and largely pastoral. Horninghold is drained southwards by a small brook which soon feeds into the River Welland, which forms the county border with Northamptonshire, turning water eastwards and then northeastwards to Stamford, crossing Fenland and reaching the North Sea through The Wash. Horninghold is sited at around 100 metres above the sea in undulating countryside where the local high spots rise to 170 metres to the northwest. Covering just under 1,200 acres Horninghold parish was towards the smaller end of the scale for its county and barely supported a population of 100 parishioners. In Domesday times Horninghold was held by Robert de Tosny and was a typical small rural manor offering just 5 ploughs backed by meadows and woodland.

The Church

St Peter's church sits south of the main street of the village accessed by a pretty walkway passing picturesque estate cottages. Whilst early gazetteers state the church has Saxon masonry, the earliest fabric identified by Pevsner is 12th century and Norman. The southern doorway claims that status and has some interesting carved symbols and figures on both the arch and the imposts. Much of the rest is 13th century some early, as evidenced by the 3-bay southern arcade, and others later, the northern arcade and by the stately western tower. During the 15th century a typical Perpendicular feature, a clerestory, was inserted to improve internal lighting and many windows were replaced. For once Pevsner fails to mention a major Victorian restoration despite reference the internal fittings to 1844. Both Hallaton Road, to the west, and Knob Hill Road, to the east, are adequate for on-street parking. The church is approached by a delightful pathway passing cottages bedecked in roses, the churchyard has a few trees dotted about but nothing to inconvenience the photographer.