England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Hellidon St John the Baptist

The Parish

The parish of Hellidon lies in the extreme southwest of Northamptonshire forming a stretch of the county's border with neighbouring Warwickshire, it is also not so far from Oxfordshire. Hellidon is located roughly 5 miles southwest of the market town of Daventry and sits about 2 miles west of the A361 road which links Daventry with the Oxfordshire town of Banbury. Hellidon is a mid-sized and compact village with most properties lying around a rough oval of lanes which form its heart, from this oval a southeastern extension is formed connecting the main part of the village to its inn. Hellidon sits on the escarpment that is formed by the Jurassic limestone that, to its south, forms the Cotswold Range. The parish would have been almost exclusively a farming parish, a mixed regime would have prevailed in this region with mainly cattle on the limestone pastures but with arable growing in the vale to the northwest. Modern developments have come and gone, the branch railway line linking Brackley with Rugby once tunneled its way through the hills to Hellidon's east but is now closed. Hellidon sits on a major watershed with rain falling to its west making its way by the Leam, Avon & Severn to the west coast whilst that to the east forms part of the Nene's headwaters, a river that reaches the east coast via The Wash. Hellidon is sited at around 160 metres above the sea with land rising to the top of the limestone escarpment where heights of over 220 metres can be found on nearby Arbury Hill, topped with a fort, and Sharman's Hill. Hellidon parish was fairly typically sized for its area, covering close to 1,500 acres it would have supported a population of around 400 parishioners. Hellidon is not mentioned in Domesday Book.

The Church

St John's church sits at the heart of the village in the junction of Church Lane with Stockwell Lane at the southeast limit of the village's oval of lanes. The church is, sadly, one which has undergone extensive modification in recent times with little remaining of the medieval as a result. The earliest portion of the church which remains is the basal stages of its western tower which are 13th century and Early English Gothic in style. Whether in a single continuous build or as a later modification, the topmost stages are from the early 14th century and Decorated in style. This time and style were clearly repeated as the main body of the church which shows the Decorated style in those parts untouched by later restorers. Pevsner alludes to at least 3 phases of Victorian work as impacting the church, in the late 184os a general restoration began that work to be followed in the late 1860s by the addition of a northern aisle whilst finally in 1897 a vestry & organ chamber was added. Add in changes to the internal fittings dating from 1863 and mush is essentially later than the period of this transcript. Church Lane is narrow but has broad verges and little traffic allowing careful parking. A stone wall of the local limestone has metal gates at the southeastern corner for entry into a somewhat crowded churchyard, closely set trees hug the church's eastern and southeastern positions removing the most favoured aspects from the photographer's portfolio, other lesser used angles are, however, available.