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

The Parish

The parish of Crostwight lies in northeastern Norfolk not to far from its North Sea coastline. Crostwight is located roughly 3 miles east of the market town of North Walsham and sits within an area devoid of significant numbered roads, the closest such road being the A149 at North Walsham. Crostwight is a tiny place with no real village, nor indeed any significant cluster of farms and cottages. The parish was dominated by Crostwight Hall, the home of the Walpoles, and its estate which would have dictated the local economy. Much of the parish's eastern portion would have been unproductive heathland but the remainder was essentially arable like most Norfolk parishes. Crostwight is drained southwards by the Hundred Stream which passes through Mown Fen before joining the River Ant, the latter continues southwards until meeting the Bure and changing direction to the east to pass through Great Yarmouth to the North Sea. Crostwight is sited at around 15 metres above the sea in gentle terrain which rises gradually northwards hitting the 40 metre contour at nearby Bacton Wood. Crostwight parish was one of the smaller in its county, covering just 777 acres it would have supported only a little over 50 parishioners. Domesday Crostwight was equally small and rural, held by one Ralph Baynard it offered just 3 ploughs and a small meadow.

The Church

All Saints' church sits to the northwest of Crostwight Hall but accessed from Hall Road by a 200 metre footpath it sits surrounded by arable fields. The church is one which preserves a history of a continuous single build with only minor modification over the centuries. Pevsner dates the nave, chancel and western tower to the early 14th century and the Decorated style. At some point the Decorated styled windows have been renewed but the style preserved. A typical Victorian restoration of 1896 replaced the chancel's east window and also replaced the church's roofs. The final act of 1910 was to demolish the topmost stage of the tower and to replace it with today's shallow pyramidal top. Whilst Hall Road is narrow, the verge opposite the start of the church's footpath has been worn away by regular parking, the lane carries little traffic. The footpath is signed to the church and begins shady before crossing an open field to the churchyard. The churchyard is compact, especially to the north and south of the church so a few angles are not available for the photographer.