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

The Parish

The parish of Martlesham lies in southeastern Suffolk about 5 miles east of the county town of Ipswich and 2 miles south of Woodbridge. Martlesham sits at the head of its eponymous creek, part of a complex of creeks and channels leading to the Deben Estuary. Martlesham formerly sat on the busy A12 road from Ipswich to Lowestoft but nowadays that road bypasses to Martlesham's west making the village centre a much more peaceful place. Martlesham was once discrete from Ipswich but expansion eastwards through Kesgrave has led to an almost continuous urban area through to Ipswich's centre. World war 2 installations and associated high-tech electronic businesses have flocked to Martlesham Heath industrial area and this is now a centre for such business and employment both within the village and wider through the greater Ipswich area. At the time of this transcript Martlesham's arable economy would have been supplemented by river traffic as well as the bounty of the creeks for fish and shellfish. Martlesham Creek runs for a short mile to join the Deben estuary and thence to the North Sea. Martlesham is sited at around 20 metres above the sea in gentle countryside where local heights reach little more than 30 metres for some distance. Martlesham parish was medium to large in Suffolk terms, covering almost 2,600 acres it would have supported a population of just over 500 parishioners. In Domesday times Martlesham was a small coastal settlement held by one Ranulf, offering 6 ploughs, the usual meadows and woodland but did possess a mill.

The Church

St Mary's church sits around 3/4 of a mile east of the village centre on a bluff overlooking Martlesham Creek and reached along Church Lane. The eastern end of the churchyard offers a fine view of the picturesque Deben estuary. The church is a mixture of Decorated & Perpendicular styles indicating a build spreading from 14th into 15th centuries, caution is expressed by authors, however, as there is extensive restoration and rebuild too. A blocked northern doorway and window tracery in the nave are typical of the early 14th century, whilst the western tower is clearly 15th century and Perpendicular in its detail. The chancel, however, was completely rebuilt in 1835 and following subsidence this was repeated in 1905 when a complete replacement eastern wall was needed as well as some formidable buttressing. Church Lane follows the break of slope above the creek, woodland tumbling to the shore on the left, where the lane splits 3 ways take the signed route to the church car park. A pathway leads through screening trees into the churchyard which sadly has many obstructions in the form of mature deciduous and coniferous trees which somewhat restrict the best photographic angles.