England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Thorpe on the Hill St Michael

The Parish

The parish of Thorpe on the Hill lies in western Lincolnshire not too far from the county's border with neighbouring Nottinghamshire. Thorpe on the Hill is located roughly 6 miles southwest of the city of Lincoln and sits a half mile northwest of the A46 road which links Lincoln with Newark on Trent. Thorpe on the Hill is a village built around and L-shape of lanes with a main west to east running lane meeting another incoming from the south, a core of the village lies within the junction of the two. Thorpe on the Hill lies in prime arable farming countryside typical of its county, cereals are the main crops grown in its broad fields with oil-seed and similar crops to vary the mix. To the north of the village lie many sand & gravel pits with some of the worked-out pits having been transformed into nature reserves as Whisby Nature Park, a popular venue for walks for local Lincolnians. Modern developments have come to the parish, the railway line connecting Lincoln and Newark passes through to the north and once granted Thorpe on the Hill a station, now closed, in addition the A46 (which follows the ancient Roman Fosse Way) has been upgraded to modern fast dual-carriageway highway. Thorpe on the Hill is drained northeastwards by the Pike Drain which makes its way to join the River Witham in Lincoln;s southern suburbs, the Witham, initially flowing north performs an about-turn in Lincoln to head southeast to the North Sea in a canalised channel arriving at the coast through the port of Boston. Thorpe on the Hill is sited at around 20 metres above the sea in generally flattish terrain, to the northwest a spot height of 35 metres at nearby Eagle marks the highest ground around. Covering 1,800 acres Thorpe on the Hill parish was typically sized for this area and would have supported a population of close to 350 parishioners. In Domesday times Thorpe on the Hill's largest landholder was Westminster Abbey, a typical small farming manor it offered 8 ploughs and some small meadows.

The Church

St Michael's church stands at the junction forming the right-angled bend within the village, the junction of Main Street with Fosse Lane. Outwardly this is a very modern church with the main body having been rebuilt in 1912 and the tower in 1722, both, however, include remnants of a much older church which once stood here. Whilst the tower is 18th century within its structure there is a blocked keyhole window on its western face from the 12th century Norman period and the northern face has a reset and blocked Early English Gothic doorway from the 13th century. Also 13th century is the western respond of the nave. All else is of the respective dates of the two rebuilds. Main Street has the main entrance and on-street parking, the churchyard has iron railings around with a metal gate for entry into a churchyard with no significant obstacles for the photographer.