England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Hinton in the Hedges Holy Trinity

The Parish

The parish of Hinton in the Hedges lies in the extreme southwest of Northamptonshire not too far from the county's border with neighbouring Oxfordshire. Hinton in the Hedges is located about 1 1/2 miles west of the market town of Brackley and just over a half mile south of the A422 road which links Brackley with Banbury in Oxfordshire. Hinton in the Hedges is small village formed around the meeting of 3 lanes most properties lying along one or other of those lanes. Like most such small villages in this area Hinton in the Hedges was and is a farming community, early gazetteers estimated roughly 2:1 in favour of arable over pastoral methods, today that ratio is weighted more heavily to arable. Hinton in the Hedges is drained eastwards by a small brook which joins the infant Great Ouse at Brackley, that river has a long journey eastwards and finally north to meet the North Sea though The Wash. Hinton in the Hedges is sited at around 130 metres above the sea in rolling countryside where local high spots trend between 150 & 160 metres. Hinton in the Hedges parish was typically sized for its area covering just over 1,400 acres it would have supported a population of close to 150 parishioners. In Domesday times Hinton in the Hedges was a small holding of just 18 households offering for its holder Geoffrey de Mandeville 5 ploughs, meadows & woodland but it did have a mill.

The Church

Holy Trinity church is tucked away behind fronting properties to the west of the 3-way junction that forms the centre of this small village.  The church, like so many small rural churches, has masonry dating back to the earliest times, the western tower is the earliest piece with its basal stages 12th century and Norman Romanesque in style, its upper-parts are slightly later but from the early 13th century, the short Transitional stages between Romanesque and Gothic. The northern aisle dates from the same time period whereas the 2-bay arcade is later from the early 14th century and Decorated in style, contemporary with the arcade is the chancel arch and northern doorway. Much else dates from a thorough Victorian restoration carried out in 1869. There is ample parking around the village streets which are quiet of traffic for the most times. From the junction a footpath head due west to the churchyard which is rather fussy with isolated but mature trees, the photographer will have to carefully search around for the better viewpoints.