England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Hogsthorpe St Mary

The Parish

The parish of Hogsthorpe lies in the extreme east of Lincolnshire not too far from its North Sea coast. Hogsthorpe is located roughly 7 miles north of the coastal resort of Skegness and sits on the A52 road which connects Skegness with Mablethorpe. Hogsthorpe was simply a roadside village with most properties lining the A52 which performs a series of right-angled bends to pass through the village, in more modern times newer development has added a northern extension to that early settlement. Hogsthorpe sits on a band of rich clay and a brick-making tradition formed the basis of the economy, like most Lincolnshire villages farming was also important but, here, on the coastal grazing marshes it was mostly pastoral. Hogsthorpe is drained the short distance to the nearby North Sea by the Willoughby High Drain, a man-influenced channel which reaches the coast to the north of Chapel St Leonards. Hogsthorpe is sited at just 2 metres above the sea, a height which is near to for almost 5 miles before a 10 metre contour is reached - this is very flat land. By Lincolnshire standards Hogsthorpe parish was extensive, covering almost 3,000 acres it was nearly double the normal size of a rural Lincolnshire parish, within that acreage a population of close to 800 parishioners would have been supported. Hogsthorpe is not mentioned in Domesday Book.

The Church

St Mary's church sits on the southern side of the A52 (High Street) as it passes northwestwards out of the village. This is largely an early church with the Early English Gothic style in dominance. The western tower together with both its arch to the nave and the five-bay arcades are from this style which had its heyday in the first half of the 13th century. From the latter half of that century comes the southern doorway in the Decorated style whilst the 14th century Perpendicular style is found in its porch, the western tower was also increased in height at this time and given bell-openings of that period's style. The latest period found is that of the chancel which was rebuilt in a Victorian restoration of 1870, that restoration had followed one of 1853 which addressed the nave. Whilst the A52 is a busy road there are parking bays along the northern side for the facilities of the village. The church sits opposite the Saracen's Head Inn behind a mid-height brick wall with iron gates for entry. The churchyard is largely open and uncluttered with few obstacles for the photographer.