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

The Parish

The parish of Denton lies in southern central Northamptonshire, not too far from either the border with Buckinghamshire and also close to that with Bedfordshire. Denton is located roughly 6 miles southeast of the county town of Northampton and sits on the A428 road which connects Northampton with Bedford. Denton is a substantial compact village, the former route of the A428 wound through the village but now passes to the south, and most properties are bunched around the main crossroads. At the time of this transcript a mixed farming regime would have largely underpinned the local economy, with the advent of modern machinery this has veered more towards arable. Small streams drain Denton northeastwards to join the Nene close to Earls Barton and thence follows a long journey to reach the North Sea through The Wash. Denton is sited at roughly 80 metres above the sea sitting within gently rolling countryside that rises roughly 30 metres higher on local high spots. Denton parish was fairly typically sized for its area, covering almost 1,600 acres it would have supported a population of close to 550 parishioners. In Domesday times Denton was a modest rural settlement, held by Ramsey Abbey it could offer just 7 ploughs, the usual meadows & woodland but there was a mill.

The Church

St Margaret's church sits close to the winding course of the former route of the A428 as it formerly passed through the village. The church has its origins in the 13th century, the Early English Gothic era. Sadly much of the church was rebuilt in Georgian times leaving limited survivals from its early days. The western tower and chancel retain their original 13th century features whilst a pair of lancet windows of the same date are reused within the vestry. The remainder of the building is from the rebuild of the late 1820s, a rebuild which leaves Pevsner to give only a short account of a church that as a result has lost much of its architectural interest. The alternating bands of colour are, however, an attractive feature. The church sits on Bedford Road just east of its junction with the lane to Castle Ashby behind a low local stone wall, there is ample parking on both Bedford Road and Main Street. Church Way rises from Bedford Road gently towards the main entrance, the churchyard is clear and unobstructed for photography.