England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Cranford St John

The Parish

The parish of Cranford St John, Cranford being made up of the twin villages of Cranford St John & Cranford St Andrew, lies in eastern central Northamptonshire roughly 4 miles east of the large market town of Kettering. Cranford St John once sat on the main road from Kettering to Thrapston but has now been bypassed by the construction of the major east to west route of the A14 which runs immediately to its south. Most properties in Cranford St John either lined the old main road or sat upon a looping lane, Church Lane which swept around to the north, the whole village makes excellently picturesque use of the abundant local limestone. Extraction of that limestone for building would have supplemented the normal arable farming expected in this part of the country varying the economy somewhat. Cranford St John is drained eastward by a small stream that eventually reaches the Rive Nene at Thrapston, turning northeastwards to eventually reach the North Sea through The Wash. Cranford St John is sited at around 70 metres above the sea in gently rolling terrain where land rises to close to 100 metres towards Irthlingborough to the south. By Northamptonshire standards Cranford St John was one of the smaller parishes, covering just over 1,100 acres it would have supported a population of around 350 parishioners. In Domesday Book the twin parishes were recorded together as held by 3 landholders with the majority share with Peterborough Abbey, collectively their assets totalled 13 ploughs, the usual meadows & woodland and there was a mill.

The Church

St John's church sits upon the looping lane of Church Lane which heads out and back to the north of the old main road. The earliest parts of the church are 12th century and Norman Romanesque in style yet they present something of a puzzle as the western arch is clearly older in style than the 12th century pieces that surround it, Pevsner speculates an earlier piece reused in later build. Moving forward in time the western tower dates from the Early English Gothic period of the 13th century with lancet windows present as confirmation. The chancel follows but from the latter part of the 13th century when styles were transitioning into the Decorated period. That period saw a new top to that western tower and the current arch to the nave. The major restoration in Victorian times fell in the 1840s when the southern aisle being rebuilt was the major piece of work along with the usual general refresh of the building. Church Lane allows street parking outside the churchyard which is surrounded by a low local stone wall with a metal archway sitting over the un-gated entrance.  Whilst the churchyard is relatively free of obstacles, the favoured southeastern aspect is removed by substantial trees flanking the Duck End side of the churchyard.