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

The Parish

The parish of Westerfield lies in southern Suffolk about 2 miles north of the town of Ipswich. Westerfield sits on the B1077 road which connects Ipswich with Debenham and Eye. The village is a compact one with most housing grouped around the main crossroads of the village as well as spreading northwards along the B1077. Despite its proximity to the town of Ipswich Westerfield maintains its separation and the area is dominated by agriculture rather than housing. Most of the land hereabouts is ploughed and growing grain or beet as well as the oilseed that creates a yellow carpet in spring. Westerfield sits on a broad plateau at about 30 metres above sea level although there is a rise to 55 metres to the northwest. There is little obvious drainage, what field drains there are are heading westwards to join the River Gipping. The parish is rather small at just over 1,000 acres yet it supported over 300 parishioners. In Domesday times the land was held by an astonishing 16 parcels mostly held by William's local cronies although there is a portion held by free men. Despite this subdivision the parish only supported 7 ploughs and held a bit of meadow.

The Church

St Mary Magdalene's church sits just south of the main east/west lane which forms a crossroads with the B1077 (appropriately here called Church Lane). The church follows the standard pattern of western tower, nave and chancel and appears to have been built of a piece during the 13th century. Pevsner gives only this date as derived from the windows. There are signs of an earlier building in that some portions of the south window to the nave incorporate Norman zigzag work possibly from a reused doorway. The church sits close to the road behind a low and thick hedge. Access is by a pair of wooden gates at the western end, a tarred driveway leads to the entrance through the tower. The site is relatively open giving few issues to photography.