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

The Parish

The parish of Asterby lies in northern central Lincolnshire about 7 miles north of the small market town of Horncastle. Asterby is a tiny place, little more than a hamlet, which sits a mile west of the A153 road which connects Horncastle with Louth. One of numerous deserted villages in the Wolds of Lincolnshire today's parish holds just a scatter of farms and cottages. Like most Lincolnshire parishes its main income would have, and indeed still does, come from arable farming with cereals, beet and oil seed dominating today's landscape. Asterby is drained westwards by a small tributary of the River Bain which is soon joined, here matters turn south passing through Horncastle to the Witham before reaching the North Sea through the port of Boston. Asterby is sited at around 70 metres above sea level with land rising gently but steadily eastwards towards a ridge reaching close to 150 metres. In a county of small parishes Asterby was nothing exceptional, a small one as befits a small congregation, covering just 900 acres it would have supported a population of around 250 parishioners. In Domesday Book Asterby was a holding of Ivo Tallboys, a small place even then offering just 3 ploughs but with a substantial meadow of 120 acres

The Church

St Peter's church was declared redundant in 1982 and is no longer used for worship, access to the churchyard is still permitted by the present owners but that access must be considered at risk due to the sale of the site. The former church sits on the eastern side of Asterby Lane where a prominent footpath heads off eastwards. The church dates from the 13th century but little remains from that period due to later modifications. The most notable features of the medieval are northern aisle & arcade where even here 2 bays have been demolished, they date from the 13th century and are Early English Gothic in style. Much else was clearly rebuilt in the late 14th or early 15th century represented by the Perpendicular styling of the tower basal section. During a substantial restoration of 1890 the chancel was completely rebuilt whilst the distinctive upper stages of the tower, complete with the saddleback roof date from a decade later. The church is almost lost in the vegetation being almost invisible from the road, a small metal gate being the only clue. The churchyard is small and dominated by trees making for a challenge to find adequate angles for the photographer.