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

The Parish

The parish of Barking lies in southern central Suffolk about 4 miles south of the market town of Stowmarket. Whilst it is Barking village which donates its name to the parish this village is no longer the largest population centre as the parish contains the small market town of Needham Market. Needham Market is a much expanded place sitting upon the B1113 road which links Ipswich with Stowmarket at its junction with the B1078 which heads off southwestwards. Barking, itself, is a modest linear village lining the B1078 with its southwestern extremity being Barking Tye, the parish also includes the hamlet of Dormsden. From the 13th century onwards, when Needham Market was granted a market, the former hamlet in the Gipping valley has grown to dominate the parish, a role which has since lapsed as Stowmarket has expanded to absorb its regional agricultural produce market. The extensive parish is dominated by arable farming with only minor areas amongst the River Gipping's water-meadows used for pasture. Modern developments have largely affected Needham Market, firstly the course of the Gipping was straightened and widened to become the Ipswich & Stowmarket navigation in the last decade of the 18th century, the Ipswich to Norwich railway line was also routed along the Gipping valley giving Needham Market a station and finally the A14, a fast road linking the eastern coastal ports of Felixstowe & Harwich to the main British motorway network, was also laid along the opposite side of the same valley. All of this development has turned Needham Market from a quiet rural market town into a popular centre for commuting, Barking, itself, meanwhile remains a rural arable village. The River Gipping drains the parish southeastwards, passing through Ipswich to reach the North Sea after joining the Orwell. Barking village is sited at around 50 metres above the sea with the valley settlement of Needham Market some 30 metres lower, to the southwest land rises gently to local heights at or around 70 metres. Barking parish was one of the most extensive in its county, covering just over 2,900 acres it would have supported a population of around 1,900 parishioners, most are now served by Needham Market's own church, St John the Baptist. In Domesday times Barking was already a substantial settlement with a population sufficient to place it amongst the most populous 20% recorded, held by Ely Abbey it could offer 21 ploughs, extensive meadows & woodland and also possessed 2 mills, a wealthy holding indeed.

The Church

St Mary's church sits a half mile east of the easternmost properties in Barking village, north of the B1078 and accessed by Parsons Lane, a dead-end lane heading solely to church and a farm. The earliest parts of the church are the southern porch and chancel with both showing styles of the 13th century, the early English Gothic. A little later is the Decorated style western tower, northern doorway and southern arcade, the tower's upper stages were, however, rebuilt in an 1870 restoration. Much else is of the familiar East Anglian era of the Perpendicular style albeit with one minor exception, the terracotta mullions and jambs of the windows are in a 16th century Italian Renaissance style unusual for an English church. A plethora of restoration has occurred,, besides the 1870 rebuild of the tower, a general restoration of 1895, a chancel restoration on 1905 and finally new interior work on the ceilings in the late 1920s. Parsons Lane is marked by a small white sign sitting in a small triangular patch of grass, the lane heads up hill for a couple of hundred metres before dog-legging left and terminating in a substantial parking area, allowing an extended visit. The churchyard is open & uncluttered with few obstacles for the photographer.