England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Noke St Giles

The Parish

The parish of Noke lies in central Oxfordshire in the narrow neck of the county squeezed between neighbouring Berkshire & Buckinghamshire. Noke is a relatively small village located about 5 miles northeast of the city of Oxford. Noke sits on a dead-end lane just to the east of the B4027 road which links Wheatley with Bletchingdon. Noke sits on the southwestern edge of the damp plain of Otmoor, it would have provided grazing opportunities for the parishioners as well as the normal arable farming. The settlement at Noke is one of a number that are sited around the break of slope for this wetland. The River Ray drains westwards from Otmoor to the north of Noke and joins the Cherwell just west of Islip from whence it finds the Thames and thence to the North Sea. Noke is located at around 60 metres above the sea and just 5 metres above the level of Otmoor, land rises to the south to over 110 metres. Noke parish is small by Oxfordshire standards, it covered just under 800 acres and supported a population of just over 150 parishioners. There is no specific mention of Noke in Domesday Book.

The Church

St Giles' church sits in the fork of the lane running through the village, roads parting either side of the churchyard. The church is relatively simple and early in style being mainly in the early English style of the 13th century. However much has altered over the years and many windows are later Perpendicular additions (or modifications) and further windows (notably the east window) were added in the early 19th century. The church is small as befits a small community and Pevsner describes the church as "rustic & homely" which sums it up rather well. As you travel down the lane through the village St Giles is very obvious ahead of you, a short path and a wooden gate grant access through the low stone wall. There are trees around but they do not unduly restrict photography.