England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Old Catton St Margaret

The Parish

The parish of Old Catton (until Victorian times it required no prefix, New Catton being a suburban development created from the Norwich parish of St Clement and the semi-rural parishes of Sprowston & Catton) lies in eastern Norfolk roughly 2 miles north of the city of Norwich. Catton sits a mile east of the A140 road which links Norwich with Aylsham and on to Cromer. At the time of this transcript Catton was a distinctly separate village, a compact mid-sized village clustered around the Church & Hall. It would have nevertheless been influenced by the proximity of the city and was the semi-rural residence of many of the well-to-do. That proximity would also have impacted its economy which diversified from the typical arable cereal growing into a wider range of crops servicing the needs of the city, market gardening was a speciality. As Norwich has rapidly expanded from within its ancient walls, the new suburb of New Catton expanded the city northwards to engulf Catton such that today it sits on the northern edges of the greater conurbation that is today's Norwich. Modern developments fringe the edges of the parish, Norwich's World War II air base, now the city's international airport, sits just to Catton's northwest. Green spaces still remain amongst the ranks of properties with the grounds of Catton Hall, the late 18th century mansion of the Ives family which provided Norwich with its mayor on 2 occasions, remaining a tranquil oasis and traces of the former deer park still line parts of the Spixworth Road. Under the wealth of housing it is difficult to discern the parish's drainage much of which heads sub-surface to the River Wensum to the south, the Wensum meets the Yare east of the city of Norwich before reaching the North Sea through the port of Great Yarmouth. Catton is sited at around 30 metres above the sea in gentle terrain where land is rarely significantly higher for many miles. Catton parish was slightly smaller than most rural parishes in Norfolk, covering slightly more than 900 acres it would have supported a population of around 600 when still a discrete village, that population is many thousands today. In Domesday times Catton was rather small and rural, a holding retained directly by King William its assets were a mere 4 ploughs together with a patch of woodland.

The Church

St Margaret's church sits on the northern side of Church Street at what was the heart of the original village, opposite is the grounds of Catton Hall now partially developed by late 20th century housing. The presence of a round tower is usually indicative of an early church in Norfolk and St Margaret retains its 12th century Norman Romanesque styled tower, albeit the octagonal top stage has Perpendicular bell-opening indicative of a 14th or 15th century addition. The western tower is, however, the only piece substantially remaining from the medieval period as the main body was almost completely rebuilt in Victorian times between 1850 & 1852. Traces of Perpendicular features indicate that originally it was 14th or 15th century in construction, the porch, the 4-bay arcade and the northern chapel all show original features of that period despite the attentions of the Victorians. All else dates from the middle of the 19th century and its extensive rebuild or from a further restoration of 1881. Whilst Church Street is not wide and carries much suburban traffic, being a linking road between two main arteries into the city, street parking is permitted east of the churchyard. The walling is typical brick topped flint with a sketchy lychgate for entry, the southern aspects of the church are open and uncluttered allowing uninterrupted views for the photographer.