England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Little Houghton St Mary

The Parish

The parish of Little Houghton lies in southern Northamptonshire roughly 3 1/2 miles southeast of the county town of Northampton. Little Houghton sits immediately north of the A428 road which links Northampton with Bedford. Little Houghton is a compact small village sitting on the southern edge of the flood-plain of the River Nene, most properties are gathered around the main crossroads at which sits the parish church. Due to the village's proximity to Northampton there has been some modern development expanding the village. The position on the edge of grazing land bordering the Nene would have varied the parish's farming economy from the traditional arable which now surrounds it fully. Modern developments have come and gone from the parish, a branch railway line linking Northampton to Olney in Buckinghamshire passing through but now closed and largely dismantle with only a few bridges and cutting to remind of its past presence. Little Houghton is drained northwards the short distance to the Nene by a small brook, the Nene heads determinedly eastwards crossing Fenland to eventually reach the North Sea through The Wash. Little Houghton is sited at around 80 metres above the sea in its valley setting, land rises southwards away from the Nene reaching the 110 metres contour in a few higher spots in gently undulating terrain. Little Houghton parish was typically sized for its area covering just over 1,600 acres and supporting a population of around 550 parishioners. In Domesday Book Little Houghton was returned together with its larger neighbour Great Houghton collectively they made it into the top 20% of settlement by population, shared principally by Bishop Odo of Bayeux and Countess Judith their assets of 11 ploughs backed by meadows & woodland and 2 mills made them a moderately wealthy holding.

The Church

St Mary's church sits at the heart of Little Houghton at the junction of Bedford Road with Meadow Lane that forms the centre of the village. Whilst there is something of the medieval remaining in St Mary most of the church results from a Victorian rebuild. Pevsner notes the earliest fabric as 12th century, the southern doorway in Norman Romanesque style. Also retained is the 13th century western tower, the lower stages are Early English Gothic but the 13th century bell-stage has been filled showing blank arches whilst the newer bell-stage above is from the later Perpendicular era. The main body of the church was substantially rebuilt during the Victorian restoration of 1873-4, in addition a northern aisle was added and the retained southern arcade substantially restored. There is ample on-street parking along Meadow Lane, the main entrance sits at the junction with a diagonal path rising to the church which sits a little above road height. The churchyard is open & uncluttered with no obstacles whatsoever for the photographer.