England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Newdigate St Peter

The Parish

The parish of Newdigate lies in the extreme south of Surrey forming a stretch of the county's border with neighbouring Sussex. Newdigate is located roughly 6 miles south of the town of Dorking and stands just over a mile east of the A24 road which links Dorking with Horsham in Sussex. Newdigate was originally a crossroads village centred upon the junctions, slightly staggered, at which the parish church sits, in modern times the village has expanded northwards becoming a straggle of properties as far as Parkgate. Newdigate sits within the Weald, an area of largely infertile soils on Eocene sands, much of the area would have been Royal hunting preserve in early medieval times, Elwood to the north would have been reserved for deer hunting, small-scale farming in woodland clearances would have provided income whilst the woodlands and heaths were exploited for pannage and woodland products. During the 16th century the combination of iron-rich sandstones and extensive timber lead Newdigate to become a major centre for iron production, a survey of 1574 documented furnaces, forges and hammering yards. The iron boom lasted barely 100 years and Newdigate lapsed into rural farming and woodland management as before. Modern developments have scratched the edges of the parish, a railway line from Dorking to Horsham skirting the western edges and the A24, following a similar route, has now been upgraded to dual-carriageway highway. Several small brooks gradually coalesce northeastwards into the Deanoak Brook which eventually reaches the River Mole which turns back northwestwards to pass through the North Downs, in the western reaches of Greater London the Mole is renamed as the Ember just before it meets the Thames to pass eastwards through the capital to the North Sea. Newdigate is sited at around 80 metres above the sea in gentl undulating terrain where heights rarely reach much more than the 100 metres contour which is reached close to the A24. Like most Wealden parishes Newdigate was extensive covering just over 4,000 acres which would have supported a population of close to 550 parishioners. Newdigate, like most of The Weald, is not mentioned in Domesday Book.

The Church

St Peter's church stands at the junction of Village Street & Church Lane and directly opposite to the Six Bells Inn. The church has its origins in the 13th century but was much modified in the 19th as are so many such churches. The chancel has the characteristic lancet styled windows of the Early English Gothic period on both the northern and southern faces remaining whilst the nave has been modified but was probably originally contemporary. The 14th century saw the church expanded with a southern aisle and arcade added with the double-chamfered arches typical of the Decorated period.; The attractive timber bell-tower which graces the western end dates from the 16th century, dendrochronology has been used on the timbers giving a date of 1525, but once again has required extensive modification and renewal. Most of the modifications to the church came in the thorough restoration of 1876-7 when the northern aisle and vestry was added, the chancel arch replaced, the spire re-shingled and the tower re-weather-boarded, the chancel's east window was also replaced but kept to the original design. On-street parking may be found east of the site on Church Lane, the churchyard has many trees so the photographer has to search around to find the better views which do remain.