England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Hawton All Saints

The Parish

The parish of Hawton lies in southeastern Nottinghamshire not too far from the 3-counties meet with Lincolnshire & Leicestershire. Hawton sits roughly 2 miles south of Newark on Trent and a little over a mile east of the A46 road which links Newark with Leicester and which follows the ancient Roman route of Fosse Way. Today's Hawton is little more than a small hamlet sitting on the eastern banks of the River Devon, a straggle of properties along the Newark Road but early times saw a much larger settlement in this area. A notable feature of the parish is the remains of a Civil War redoubt, part of the Parliamentary fortifications created during the siege of Newark. Hawton is a typical farming parish, largely arable but with some pastures immediately along the course of the Devon. Modern developments have come and gone from the parish, the railway line between Newark and Bottesford now dismantled and turned to usage as a hiking & cycleway. Hawton is drained the short distance northwards by the Devon until it joins the Trent at Newark, from here the Trent continues northwards to end its journey through the Humber Estuary. Hawton is sited at around 10 metres above the sea in largely flat terrain where heights above 20 metres are a rarity within 3 miles. Hawton parish was typically sized covering close to 2,000 acres and supporting a population of around 250 parishioners. Hawton's Domesday entry reveals a settlement large enough to be considered in the top 20% of manors in the land its 61 households qualifying for that status, shared by 4 landholders its assets of 28 ploughs, meadows and a mill stand in complete contrast to today's tiny settlement.

The Church

All Saints' church stands at the northern end of Hawton's run of properties on the eastern side of Newark Road. For such a small rural congregation it is exceptional to have a renowned church of sufficient gravity to make it into a reference book of England's greatest churches. It is the church's chancel which stands out amongst so many, a Decorated style masterpiece with a stunning east window of 7 lights and an Easter Sepulchre of the finest workmanship, its tripartite sedilia is also an impressive work making the interior well worth a visit.Architecturally the church is largely a product of the 14th century with a few pieces, mainly the northern arcade, dating from the Early English Gothic period of the 13th century. The chancel carries an estimated dating for its completion as 1320, it contains the tomb of Sir Robert de Compton who died 10 years later, a date not dissimilar is suggested for the southern arcade. The main body of the church was completed by the end of the 14th century but in 1482 it is recorded that the western tower and a clerestory were added both in the Perpendicular style. As is usual Victorian restorations, here in 3 phases of 1844, 1880 and 1887, have impacted the church whilst completely replacing many of the roofs and the southern porch. Newark Road is of adequate width to allow on-road parking outside the church, The churchyard, entered through a brick and tile wall through a small metal gate, is compact with a few trees restricting views from the southeast, the tower looms above the roadside making the best views of that from the road, itself.