England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Keddington St Margaret

The Parish

The parish of Keddington lies in eastern Lincolnshire roughly 1 1/2 miles northeast of the market town of Louth. Keddington sits the same distance from the former route of the A16 road, which formerly run through Louth before being moved to bypass to the west, the 16 links Louth with Boston. Keddington sits on the northern bank of the Louth canal, a single strip of properties running northwest from that point for a quarter mile with further properties lining the canal. Like most Lincolnshire parishes Keddington would have been an arable farming parish, however its position in the valley of the River Lud, which the canal exploits, would have given some variation in the form of pastures. The modern development of the canal was made in 1770 and connected Louth by a navigable channel to the sea, the Lud has also a man-influenced course to the sea quickly becoming swept up in the drainage channels of the coastal plain before reaching the North Sea through Somercotes Haven. Keddington is sited at around 20 metres above the sea, to the west of Louth land rises onto the Lincolnshire Wolds quickly reaching 111 metres near Hallington, to the east of Keddington the land drops to close to sea level. Lincolnshire is a county of many small parishes and Keddington was one of these, covering just 1,000 acres it would have supported a population of close to 150 parishioners. Domesday Book tells a slightly different picture of early Keddington, its 35 households were just sufficient to place it amongst the largest 20% of settlements by population in the book, shared between the Bishop of Durham and Rainer de Brimeux its assets of 6 ploughs, some meadows and not fewer than 5 mills shows the emphasis of the manor at that time.

The Church

St Margaret's church stands on the western side of Church Lane, an un-adopted road used as a public path which heads toward the lost village of Brackenborough. Like many small rural churches St Margaret has fabric remaining from the earliest periods for stone-built churches, the early 12th century Norman style. In the southern wall of the nave there is an early 12th century round-head Norman window, in addition from the later 12th century a reused pointed arch has been deployed for the organ chamber. It is probable that both nave and chancel were built in the 12th century, both have later additions, the chancel an early 14th century Decorated style window whilst the nave shows the work of the Victorian restorers. Two period of restoration are recorded by Historic England, in 1862 & in 1878 during one of these phases today's gabled bellcote was added as well as refreshing most of the remainder of the church. The lanes around the church are all very narrow and none carries a strong recommendation for parking, search and find the best available. The church is wholly screened from Church Lane by a thick belt of trees with a shady entrance almost miss-able hidden amongst them . The churchyard is similarly impacted by many trees leaving very few angles for the photographer.