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

The Parish

The parish of Ashwicken (which incorporates the former parish of Leziate) is located in western Norfolk about 5 miles east of the port of King's Lynn. Ashwicken is located just to the south of the B1145 road which runs eastwards across central Norfolk from King's Lynn to Bawdeswell. Ashwicken is a small hamlet, not a substantial place at all, most of the habitation consists of cottages and farms gathered around its hall. This is perhaps an indication that Ashwicken was a closed parish where most land and hence access was held by the lord of the manor and this restricted village growth. The land hereabouts is underlain with a coarse iron-rich sandstone which produces poor soils - much of the parish is heathland and what is farmed was largely pastoral. Ashwicken is sited at 30 metres above the sea on a low ridge, a glacial feature, which runs eastwards from King's Lynn and carries the B road. To both north and south streams drain westwards towards the Great Ouse and The Wash. With its smaller neighbour the area covered by Ashwicken parish was fairly typical of the area, at almost 1,200 acres it would have supported less than a 100 parishioners. In Domesday times Ashwicken was shared by Count Alan of Brittany and one Roger, it boasted 5 ploughs, a mill and a salthouse.

The Church

All Saints' church is one that can only be reached on foot, it stands about 200 metres from Ashwicken's lane accessed by a chestnut-lined pathway. Pevsner is rather coy in dating All Saints, he gives a 13th century date to the western tower and notes that it was reduced and capped by the curiously low pyramidal top, as well as adding formidable buttresses (presumably to prevent imminent collapse). The church was apparently in a near ruinous state in 1777 and much work has occurred to restore something which is usable today. Most of the windows date from the 19th century, as does the southern porch and chancel which had to be largely rebuilt. Access to All Saints is by a signed footpath which leaves the lane beside a large "Welcome" sign, the path is shaded but on reaching the graveyard the site opens out giving unrestricted photographic opportunities.