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

The Parish

The parish of Humberston lies in the extreme northeast of Lincolnshire forming a short stretch of Lincolnshire's coastline with the outer Humber Estuary. Humberston is sometimes rendered as Humberstone but modern maps give the shorter version. Humberston is located about 4 miles southeast of the port of Grimsby (it's Great prefix often removed these days) where it sits on the A1031 road which forms Lincolnshire's coastal route connecting Grimsby with Mablethorpe. Immediately north of Humberston is the seaside resort of Cleethorpes. Whilst Humberston was one a separate and discrete village urbanisation has spread southwards from Grimsby and nowadays just a green channel along the Buck Beck separates Humberston from the wider urban area of Grimsbt, indeed in modern times Humberston has expanded rapidly as a suburb to the port. An essentially farming area at the time of this transcript the economy is a little more diverse in recent times as holiday accommodation and theme parks have spread southwards long the sea-fronting coastal dunes. The Bueck Beck drains the parish the short distance to the Humber Estuary. Humberstone is sited at below 10 metres above the sea with land rising gently inland to local heights of 35 metres on nearby Brisgley Top. Humberston parish was fairly typically sized for this area, covering close to 3,000 acres it would have supported a population of just over 250 parishioners. In Domesday times Humberston was a holding on one Ivor Tallboys and could offer an impressive 18 ploughs as well as 200 acres of meadow.

The Church

St Peter's church sits just to the east of the A1031 as it snakes through the southern parts of the village, Church Lane leaving it eastwards on a prominent bend. Sadly little remains of the mediaeval in the church, the curiously two-toned western tower, with its ironstone base and ashlar top remains of the Perpendicular style, Pevsner does not offer a date but 15th seems credible. The remainder of the church was totally rebuilt in 1710 with money from the estate of one Matthew Humberston. Extensive use of brick and a rather boxy feel to the combined nave & chancel result. On turning into Church Lane there is a large parking area immediate to the south of the gates which stand between stolid brick piers. Unfortunately the church is somewhat encased in foliage on the best (southeastern) corner which does somewhat limit the angles available for photography.