England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Halvergate St Peter & St Paul

The Parish

The parish of Halvergate lies in southeastern Norfolk about 6 miles west of the port of Great Yarmouth. Halvergate is a small and compact village which sits around 2 miles south of the A47 road which connects the city of Norwich with Great Yarmouth. Halvergate was, in Roman times and the early mediaeval period, a seaport, the vast estuary which stretched inland as far as Halvergate having been diminished over the centuries by silting and deliberate man-made draining leaving the village high (relatively) and dry. Halvergate's economy was thus rather mixed for a Norfolk parish, there was, of course, arable farming on higher ground to the west of the village but the extensive grazing marshes provided variation, the close proximity of poorly drained land also enable wildfowling and reed for thatch to be important parts of the economy. Modern developments came to the parish but largely passed it by, the Norwich to Great Yarmouth rail line via Acle passing through the northern edge of the parish. Many manmade channels feed water into the Fleet which makes its way eastwards to Breydon Water and the Yare to reach the sea through Great Yarmouth. Halvergate is sited at around 15 metres above the sea, land is rather flat and plateau-like around here, once off the marshes, and local heights reach little higher for many miles. Halvergate parish was large for Norfolk and contained roughly 2/3rd marshland and reclaimed territory (the reclaimed land was spread amongst neighbouring parishes creating little exclaves of territory for many and complicating the parish maps for this area), covering just over 2,600 acres it would have supported a population of close to 500 parishioners. In Domesday times Halvergate was held directly by King William, a prosperous place of 15 ploughs, a small meadow and a salthouse.

The Church

St Peter & St Paul's church stands towards the western end of the village on the northern side of The Street. The church owes its origins to the early 14th century albeit little remains of that period. Most examples of this period lie within the nave a pair of lancet windows from the Early English Gothic period followed by another of the Decorated period convey the history despite the changes of later repair and restoration. The grand western tower, once a beacon for shipping coming to the port, stood in ruins at one time but has, thankfully, now been restored. There is much restoration throughout, a southern porch being added in 1867, the chancel rebuilt a decade later to leave today's building. The church sits slightly back from its road behind a low brick wall and some impressive trees, Once through that barrier the churchyard has few obstructions albeit trees crowd the eastern end of the church somewhat.