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

The Parish

The parish of Dalham lies in the extreme west of Suffolk, indeed it forms part of the border with neighbouring Cambridgeshire. Dalham is located about 5 miles east of the horse racing town of Newmarket in the valley of the River Kennett. Dalham sits astride the B1085 road which meanders down the western side of Suffolk from Fordham to Clare. Dalham is a small and compact village built largely along the B1085 and the lane which heads northwards from it along the Kennett valley. At the time of this transcript Dalham would have largely been an arable farming community nowadays the growth of the racing industry has led to studs moving away from Newmarket itself and there are areas devoted to the training of racehorses in Dalham parish too. The river Kennett drains the parish northwards to join the Lark and then the Great Ouse before reaching the North Sea through The Wash. Dalham, in its valley, is sited at around 50 metres above sea level but the valley is indented by some 40 metres into the local natural height and is gently rolling by Suffolk standards. Dalham parish was of a fairly typical size for a west Suffolk parish, it covered just over 1,800 acres and would have supported a population of around 600 parishioners. In Domesday times Dalham was a relatively small place, held by one Richard the son of Count Gilbert it could offer just 4 ploughs as well as small meadows and woodlands.

The Church

St Mary's church stands some half mile north of Dalham's centre in the grounds of Dalham Hall, an early 18th century construction. The church is largely of three distinct dates, the earliest portions are 14th century namely the chancel, southern arcade and arcade, of the Perpendicular era is the lower portion of the western tower and the northern aisle, much else is datable to 1627 when a major refurbishment was made by Sir Martin Stuteville who not only had the tower rebuilt but added the northern chapel and vestry. The whole makes much use of the local flint giving the characteristic grey appearance. Both Church Lane and a popular local footpath climb out of the Kennett valley both rising some 30 metres to the site of the church, the churchyard is open to the lane with a screen of individual trees broached by a gravel path. The churchyard, itself, is largely open and unrestricted for photography.

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