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

The Parish

The parish of Manton lies in southwestern central Rutland roughly 3 miles southeast of the county town of Oakham. Manton sits immediately east of the A6003 road which links Oakham with Uppingham. Manton is a compact small village with most properties lying along its main west to east street with side lanes holding further properties. Manton sits on a low ridge of land between what were once two river valleys, that to the north, however, is now filled with the reservoir of Rutland Water drowning part of the parish acreage. Manton was and is a farming parish with early gazetteers estimating almost 90% of the parish as set to pasture. Modern developments have come to the parish with the railway line from Oakham to Stamford passing through albeit in a tunnel beneath the village. Manton is drained by a combination of two rivers, the reservoir feeds the Gwash whilst to the south the Chater drains eastwards, both rivers make their way by differing routes to meet the Welland close to Stamford, the Welland heads through Fenland to meet the North Sea through The Wash. Manton is sited at around 120 metres above the sea in rolling countryside where the local high point, west of nearby Ridlington, reaches 179 metres. Manton parish was typically sized for its area covering just under 1,200 acres it would have supported a population of close to 250 parishioners. Manton is not specifically mentioned in Domesday Book.

The Church

St Mary's church sits on the northern edge of the village on Church Lane which parallels the main village lane. The church has a cruciform structure which is usually an indication of an early church, however in this case the transepts were a much later addition. The Norman font betrays the earliest origin of the church in the 12th century when it would have been a simple aisleless nave with a chancel, Early in the 13th century the church was expanded in the Early English Gothic style by the addition of a northern aisle, at the same time the nave was also extended by an additional bay. The latter stages of the 13th century saw the highly distinctive double bell-cote added and a chancel arch inserted all again in the same Gothic style. Work continued into the early 14th century when the south transept was constructed along with the southern porch both in Decorated style. The cruciform design was completed in the 15th century Perpendicular style by the completion of a northern transept at the same time there was the insertion of a clerestory. Restoration work began early with the rebuilding of the chancel in1796 and this was followed by typical Victorian restorations of 1854 & 1887. On-street parking is best west of the church in St Mary;s Road from where the churchyard stands raised above head height, entrances are from both Church Lane and by steps from Priory Road, the churchyard has no significant obstacles to concern the photographer.