England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Langtoft St Michael

The Parish

The parish of Langtoft is one of the most southerly in Lincolnshire being not too far from its border with neighbouring Northamptonshire, and Cambridgeshire & Rutland are slightly furher away but close too. Langtoft is located roughly 2 miles north of the market town of Market Deeping and sits either side of the A15 road which connects it with Bourne. Langtoft has an unusual layout consisting solely of twin lanes either side of the A15 (West End & East End) on which all properties sit. The surrounding man-influenced landscape is the clue to its origin, the village sits upon a raised , merely a few feet, band of land crossing the drained fens from southwest to northeast, it southwestern end abutting the ancient Roman Road of KIng Street whilst its northeastern end disappears into the watery landscape of Langtoft Fen. As most land is reclaimed from former wet Fen the soil is a rich loam ideal for arable farming and the flat landscape is carved into extensive fields of high value arable crops. Most drainage in the area has been rerouted by man's activities, most water falling on Langtoft ends up in the North Drove Drain before reaching the River Welland near Spalding, the Welland heads to the North Sea reaching it through The Wash. The highest point in Langtoft, its southwestern end, stands at a mere 7 metres above the sea whilst most of the land hereabouts is close to sea level and even, in a few places, below that mark, one has to cross the Roman King Street before a 10 metre contour is reached. Langtoft parish was fairly typically sized for its area, covering close to 1,900 acres it would have supported a population of around 750 parishioners. In Domesday times Langtoft, like many parishes in this area, was held by Crowland Abbey, the monks being responsible for some of the earliest drainage schemes, it was a minor holding offering just 6 ploughs and a 100 acre meadow.

The Church

St Michael's church sits on the northern side of East End immediately east of the main crossroads with the A15. The church has its earliest fabric dating to the Early English Gothic period of the 13th century, the western tower being the most spectacular feature which displays the style. The western windows of lancet style are typical of the style whilst the bell-openings are from the slightly later Decorated period of the early 14th century. This admixing of the two styles is a theme throughout the church, the chancel and its chapel firmly Early English Gothic whilst the southern chapel is a fully Decorated styled work. Either this is the product of an extended single-phase of building or the product of modification of an earlier structure is unclear, perhaps the former is the more likely. Further work occurred later still in the 14th century with the insertion of a clerestory to improve internal lighting, the large three-light windows effective in their mission. In the 18th century, a rare time for church-building, the southern porch, complete with a pair of Doric pilasters, was added and new internal fittings of font & pulpit added. The typical Victorian restoration occurred in 1859 but beyond a general refresh and a few new windows little was altered significantly. East End is sufficiently broad enough for safe street parking outside the ashlar block walling that fronts the churchyard, the church is closely hemmed in to both east & west by tightly packed properties restricting the views from these aspects, the height of the tower is also such that one has to step back across the street to encompass the full landscape aspect of the church.