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

The Parish

The parish of Clipston lies in northern Northamptonshire not too far from its border with neighbouring Leicestershire, indeed it forms part of the border with that county against the shared parish of Little Bowden. Clipston is located about 4 miles south of the Leicestershire market town of Market Harborough. Clipston is a medium sized village situated in lanes about 2 miles north of the busy A14 road (Huntingdon to the M6) and about the same west of the A508 which connects Market Harborough with Northampton. Clipston is sited on oolitic limestones and the sandy but fertile soils, mixed with lias in the valleys, led to a mixed farming regime; nowadays the area has become much more arable with the advent of heavy machinery. The parish is drained to the east by the River Ise, this joins the Nene at Wellingborough and thence the North Sea through The Wash. Clipston is sited at around 140 metres above the sea in gently rolling countryside, the hedged fields and frequent pastures are archetypal hunting country. Clipston parish was of a fairly typical size for a Northamptonshire parish, it covered around 2,900 acres and would have supported a population of around 850 parishioners. In Domesday times Clipston was shared 4 ways (William Peverel, Bishop Geoffrey of Coutances, the Abbey of Bury St Edmunds & the King, himself); collectively the parish could offer 11 ploughs.

The Church

All Saints' church sits at the heart of Clipston, appropriately enough in Church Lane which connects the village with the A508. The church has its origins in the early 13th century, the arcades being representative of that period. From the following century there is much that is in the Decorated style, notably the western tower (albeit rebuilt) and the southern aisle. From the 15th century comes the roof and clerestory. The building was much restored during the 1880s and much of the exterior was replaced at that time. The church makes extensive use of the local amber iron rich limestone making for an attractive building especially in evening light. A low flag-topped limestone wall surrounds much of the churchyard and entrance is by a metal gateway at the southeastern corner of the site. Once inside there are a few trees but they do not unduly restrict photographic angles.