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

The Parish

The parish of Piddington lies in southern Northamptonshire forming a small stretch of the county's border with neighbouring Buckinghamshire. Piddington is located roughly 5 miles southeast of the county toen of Northampton and stands immediately south of the B526 road which links Northampton with Newport Pagnell. Whilst Piddington gives its name to the parish there are 2 almost equally sized villages which form the main settlements of the parish, Piddington, itself, is a linear village south of the B526 running for almost a half mile from north to south whilst Hackleton, also linear, lies along the B526 for an almost equal length. The parish stands on heavy clay soils making it less favourable for arable farming in earlier times, gazetteers from the time estimate almost equal parts arable and pastoral, today the pendulum has swung more to arable with the use of modern machinery. Modern developments have come and gone, a railway line linking Northampton through to Bedford once passed through but has closed and been dismantled. Piddington is drained northwestwards by a small brook which meets the Nene to the west of Northampton wherein water turns back eastwards, heads northeast to Peterborough and crosses Fenland to reach the North Sea through The Wash. Piddington & Hackleton are both sited at around 90 metres above the sea, most land hereabouts rises in gentle rolling countryside to local high spots which brush the 120 metre contour. Piddington parish was larger than many in its county, covering almost 2,700 acres it would have supported a population of around 550 parishioners. In Domesday times Hackleton was the slightly larger settlement offering 6 ploughs and a small meadow whereas Piddington only had 3 ploughs with meadows & woodland, both were held by Countess Judith.

The Church

St John's church stands on the northwestern corner of Piddington accessed by Church End westwards from the main north to south running lane. Whilst Pevsner tentatively places the church's origins to c1300 this is a church much renewed during Victorian times, the main body so altered as to be a rebuild. One's attention is immediately drawn by the church's highly unusual tower, the basal stages of the tower are original and 13th century Early English Gothic but the parts above what Pevsner terms as a "big collar" date from repairs of 1847, the whole being topped with a spire. Pevsner speculates that the additions were the result of necessary repairs following a lightning strike. The main body, originally contemporary with the basal stages of the tower, is assigned a date of c 1300 with a mixture of Early English Gothic and Decorated styling. Much, however, dates from the two major rebuilding events of the Victorian and later eras. The first of 1877-78 was the major body of work whilst further changes followed in a second body of work between 1900 & 1902 leaving little that can be confident is untouched. Church End is quite narrow and private beyond the churchyard entrance, parking is advised at its beginning due to the difficulty of turning by the church, the churchyard is open and uncluttered with few obstacles for the photographer.