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

The Parish

The parish of Aylmerton lies in northeastern Norfolk not too far from its northern North Sea coast. Aylmerton is located roiughly 3 miles southwest of the coastal resort of Cromer and sits just under a mile south of the A148 road which links Cromer with the small market town of Holt. Aylmerton is a "T" shaped crossroads settlement, a north to south running lane holding most properties but with an eastward running extension. This area of the county is underlain by glacial deposits which gave a poor soil, whilst arable farming was the dominant economic activity some 30% of the parish acreage, as estimated by early gazetteers, was set to forestry management being coppiced for woodland products. Despite its proximity to the northern coastline Aylmerton is drained southwards by the headwaters of the Scarrow Beck which eventually joins one of the Broadland rivers, the Bure, near to Blickling before passing eastwards to the North Sea through the port of Great Yarmouth. Aylmerton is sited at around 60 metres above the sea whilst land rises northwards to the glacial ridge where 94 metres is found within the Great Wood. Aylmerton parish was typically sized for its area, covering close to 1,600 acres it would have supported a population of around 300 parishioners. In Domesday times Aylmerton was shared between William de Warenne & Roger Bigot offering 13 ploughs as well as the usual meadows & woodland wherein were recorded large numbers of pigs.

The Church

St John's church sits a few hundred yards north of the "T" junction that forms the notional centre of Aylmerton. In Norfolk & Suffolk the presence of a round tower is often associated with a very early. possibly Anglo-Saxon, church. However, in this case Pevsner is swift to dismiss such claims placing said round tower into the early 13th century, the era of Early English Gothic styling. The remainder of the body of the church has been subject to much change but most original in its fabric is the chancel which shows the later Decorated style from the early 14th century. A single pair of Decorated style windows are also present in the nave's western face with cusped quatrefoil heads nut the southern windows are later and Perpendicular. Several phases of Victorian & later restoration  have left their marks on the church. Pevsner records Victorian restorations in 1865 & 1876 whilst as recently as 1912 the upper stages of that round tower were rebuilt. The lane passing the church is too narrow for safe parking so this is one to find a good spot and approach on foot, the churchyard sits high above road level with a sloping path leading up to it from the southern entrance. Once within there are no significant obstacles for the photographer.