England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Saltfleetby All Saints

The Parish

The parish of Saltfleetby All Saints, one of 3 parishes along with St Peter & St Clement that make up the scattered village of Saltfleet, lies in northeastern Lincolnshire forming part of its eastern North Sea coastline. Saltfleetby All Saints is located roughly 9 miles east of the market town of Louth and just west of the A1031 road which forms Lincolnshire's coastal road between Mablethorpe and Cleethorpes. There is very little to modern day Saltfleetby All Saints, a mere hamlet sitting on a dead-straight lane heading inland from the A1031. Behind the dune-covered coastline that forms the shore hereabouts much of the land is reclaimed by extensive drainage schemes, both modern and older, the result is a flat landscape of rich alluvial soil giving both excellent pastures and rich soils for cereal production. Most of the drainage is through man-made ditches and channels with the Great Eau, situated just behind the dune line, scooping everything up to discharge into the North Sea through nearby Saltfleet Haven. Saltfleetby All Saints is sited at barely 2 metres above the sea, a height prevalent for some distance inland until Grimoldby & Manby which just pierce the 10 metre contour. Saltfleetby All Saints parish was fairly typically sized for its area, covering close to 1,500 acres it would have supported a population of just under 200 parishioners. In Domesday times the three parishes were not separably reported and were largely described as waste by their 5 owners with only 4 ploughs and some meadow reported as assets.

The Church

All Saints' church was declared redundant in 1973 and is managed by the Redundant Churches Fund, it sits on the northern side of the narrow lane, Back Street, which heads inland toward Manby. The church has ancient credentials, Pevsner points out the north wall of a Norman Romanesque nave has been incorporated into the later changes, the semicircular arch of the chancel arch is also of that style and date. Those 12th century origins were affected by a substantial change in the following century, the 13th, and in the Early English Gothic style. Lancet style windows in the basal sections of the western tower and the responds of the chapel arcade show this style rather well. The next significant changes were in the late 14th century when Perpendicular styling was in vogue, the western tower acquired a new top, a southern porch was added and the rather nice north front complete with its doorway set halfway between two symmetrically placed straight-headed 3 light windows. It is not detailed when the church acquired its Pisa-like lean to the west for the tower, it certainly is made a talking point, being illustrated as its distinguishing feature.For once Pevsner fails to mention a Victorian restoration so if one occurred it was light and sensitive. Whilst Back Street is rather narrow, there is a broad verge outside the churchyard which is well-used for parking. The churchyard, partly hedged and partly fenced, is open & uncluttered with no significant obstacles to impede the photographer.