England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Londonthorpe St John the Baptist

The Parish

The parish of Londonthorpe lies in southwestern Lincolnshire not too far from its border with neighbouring Leicestershire. Londonthorpe is located roughly 3 miles northeast of the large town of Grantham and sits a half west of the B6403 road which links the two main east to west running roads of the district, A52 and A17; the B6403 follows the line of the ancient Roman road of Ermine Street which strides along the top of the limestone escarpment of "Lincoln Edge". Londonthorpe is a relatively small village with most properties grouped around a T-junction of lanes meeting on the immediate edge of said escarpment with land dropping away steeply westwards. Like most Lincolnshire parishes Londonthorpe would have been, and indeed still is, largely an arable farming parish with most areas set to cereals balanced with oil seed and beet, today. A small stream descends the escarpment westwards soon meeting the River Witham after passing through the parkland of Belton Park's Deer Park, the Witham heads north to Lincoln before returning eastwards to meet the North Sea through the port of Boston.  Londonthorpe is sited at close to 120 metres above the sea, fairly close to the highest point for some distance, a few spots over-top but by very little, land falls away as mentioned westwards into the Vale of Belvoir with the Witham's channel some 80 metres lower. Londonthorpe parish was fairly typically sized for its area, covering just over 1,700 acres it would have supported a population of just under 200 parishioners. In Domesday times Londonthorpe was an equally rural settlement, largely held by King William with a couple of others it could raise a mere 7 ploughs, possessed some meadows and a mill.

The Church

St John the Baptist's church sits to the north of Londonthorpe's main crossroads on the dead-end lane of Church Lane. St John has its origins in the 13th century Early English Gothic period, the southern arcade of 3-bays being a good example of this era whilst the unusual western tower has lancet style windows on its western face as well as bell-openings typical of the short era of the Transitional period. The remainder of the church is fairly typical in being mainly Decorated and Perpendicular styles marking the early and late 14th centuries. Pevsner cites the eastern respond as Decorated whilst both the southern porch and its corresponding southern aisle are Perpendicular, the church also shows that typical Perpendicular feature, a clerestory introduced to improve internal lighting. Victorian restoration added the last most significant feature by not only carrying out a general restoration but also rebuilding both the northern aisle and the chancel which both date from the mid 19th century. Church Lane has a broad grassy verge allowing careful parking outside the metal gates which lead through the local limestone walling surrounding the churchyard, a rather inconveniently placed conifer removes the favoured southeastern aspect but all other angles are available to the photographer.