England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Clee Holy Trinity

The Parish

The parish of Clee, also known these days as Old Clee, lies in the extreme northeast of Lincolnshire forming a stretch of the county's North Sea coastline. Clee is located roughly 2 miles southeast of the port of Grimsby and sits immediately east of the A1031 road which meanders along this part of the Lincolnshire coastline from Grimsby to Mablethorpe. Clee is a much changed place, early maps show a tight nucleated settlement sitting around the site of Holy Trinity which is remarkably still evident today. In more modern times the coastal resort of Cleethorpes developed following the growth of the popularity of sea-bathing and the arrival of the railway, in addition Grimsby has grown significantly from the original village of Great Grimsby as suburbs have spread engulfing Old Clee in the process. Today Clee sits as an integral suburb of the urban sprawl that extends for over 5 miles along this coastline from Pyewipe to Humberston. At the time of this transcript Clee would have been surrounded by agricultural fields with a mixture of pastures and arable growing mainly cereals, all sit below brick and tarmac now. The modern development of the railway connecting Cleethorpes with the main East Coast rail network lead to the development of a major seaside resort where there would only have been coastal grazing marsh beforehand. Most drainage too now sits sub-surface funneling water either to the sea at Grimsby or to the south of Cleethorpes.  Clee is sited at just 5 metres above the sea in generally flat terrain where it takes 3-4 miles before the 20 metre contour is met. Clee parish was extensive covering 3,400 acres, its population was growing during the transcription period reaching just over 1,000 by its end, the volume of marriages is more indicative of an average of around 600 during the transcript period. In Domesday times Clee was held mainly by Bishop Odo of Bayeux with smaller shares for Ivo Tallboys and the Archbishop of York, collectively their assets totalled 8 ploughs and extensive meadows.

The Church

Holy Trinity church stands on the eastern side of Church Lane at the heart of the original village of Old Clee. The church has ancient credentials with its western tower dating back to the Saxo-Norman period of the 12th or even 11th century, an inscription on a pillar of the southern aisle notes a dedication date of 1192 but the tower precedes that significantly. The western tower sits attached to a cruciform church giving twin towers, a most unusual configuration. It was certainly intended rather than by modification as the tower arches of the central crossing tower and the nave & chancel also date from the contemporaneous Saxo-Norman period. Later in the 12th century the nave was extended by the creation of both northern & southern aisles over an extended period of build that commences with the northern as the earlier. All of this work shows the Norman Romanesque styling despite Victorian restoration which has made the exterior appear relatively modern. A few lancets remain in the transepts indicating some Early English Gothic style work from the 13th century whilst the topmost stage of the western tower was clearly rebuilt in the Perpendicular style of the late 14th or early 15th century. The Victorian restoration of 1878 was extensive and altered markedly the external appearance of the church but did not add any significant extra items to its layout. Church Lane is widened at the entrance gates allowing a car or two to park outside the modern brick walling and gates. The site is, unfortunately for the photographer, densely wooded with very few clear sight-lines and none allowing a full appreciation of the landscape profile.