England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Whaplode St Mary

The Parish

The parish of Whaplode lies in southeastern Lincolnshire forming a short stretch of the county's border with neighbouring Cambridgeshire. Whaplode is located roughly 2 miles west of the market town of Holbeach and stands on and south of the A151 road which links Holbeach with Spalding. Whilst Whaplode is a large and compact village with most properties lining the A151 or southwards towards the church, the wider parish is a narrow strip of land stretching southwards and incorporating the chapelry of Whaplode Drove some 7 miles to the south and then extending further south a further couple of miles to the course of the Old South Eau which forms the county's border with Cambridgeshire. This long strip of land gave Whaplode access to much fertile land from reclamation of areas of former Fenland, rich peaty soils lend themselves to the growing of high value vegetables and arable farming almost totally dominates the flat landscape of this former wetland area. The chapelry of Whaplode Drove was licensed for marriages during the transcript period so will have its own page within this project. Whaplode is drained northwards by the Whaplode River which joins the Welland immediately before it enters The Wash and thence to the North Sea. Whaplode is sited at just 3 metres above the sea and the entire parish sits below 5 metres in this extensive flat landscape recovered from the sea. Whaplode parish was extensive, excluding Whaplode Drive it covered around 11,000 acres, similar to mountainous upland parishes rather than lowland farming parishes, that acreage would have supported a population of close to 1,600 parishioners. Domesday Whaplode was shared between 4 landholders with Count Alan of Brittany the largest of the 4, its assets of just 11 ploughs backed by some smaller meadows indicate its smaller size before all of the extensive reclamation.

The Church

St Mary's church sits on the western side of Kirk Gate which leads south from the A151 towards the western end of the run of properties along the A151. The church has its origins as early as the 12th century with many remaining features of the Norman Romanesque era. Most of the main body of the church is 12th century and includes 4 of the 7-bays of the arcades (the eastern bays), the chancel arch, the western doorway and the clerestory in an ensemble of early fabric, The church's mighty tower, placed unusually in the position of a southern transept, is 13th century and Early English Gothic, it was originally detached from the main body but has over the centuries become conjoined, it was commonplace to build towers in Fenland away from the main body because the soft ground made them prone to collapse. Whilst the tower is mainly 13th century, the base is 12th century and the parapet and pinnacles were later Perpendicular additions. Contemporary with the tower is the chancel's northern chapel and the westernmost arcades. The are minor changes from the later medieval period, a southern porch was added in the 14th century and many windows show Decorated & Perpendicular styling as they were replaced from their Norman originals. According to Pevsner there was no Victorian restoration merely repairs and renewals in the early 20th century. Visiting the church is made simple by a large car park at the adjacent village hall, the churchyard is open and uncluttered with no obstacles for the photographer.