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

The Parish

The parish of Compton lies in the extreme west of Sussex forming a portion of the border with neighbouring Hampshire. Compton is located roughly 10 miles northwest of the city of Chichester and sits on the B2146 road which connects Chichester with Petersfield. Compton is a largely linear village with most properties lying alongside the B2146 but with a smaller eastward extension towards the church and school. Compton lies on the chalk, a porous rock type, within a dry valley which constrains both village and road. The poor soils of the chalk were unsuitable for intensive arable production and consequently, at the time of this transcript, were used primarily for sheep grazing forming a neat turf. Today with modern machinery and fertilisers more arable has crept in. Most drainage about the village is sub-surface water eventually emerges further south as the infant River Ems which heads further south to reach the sea through the town of Emsworth and the extensive estuary of Chichester Harbour. Compton is sited at around 80 metres above the sea with the down of Telegraph Hill immediately east reaching 162 metres and a spot of 242 metres on Beacon Hill on the nearby South Downs Way. Compton parish was fairly typically sized for this area, covering a little over 1,800 acres it would have supported a population of close to 250 parishioners. In Domesday times Compton was an equally modest holding of earl Roger of Shrewsbury offering just 7 ploughs as its only assets.

The Church

St Mary's church lies to the east of the B2146 tucked away up the narrow lane of Church Lane and accompanied by a farm and a falconry centre. Whilst the church does have some medieval credentials much dates from a major rebuild of 1849. Earliest parts, in the northern arcade carry a 12th century date and Early English Gothic style whilst there are traces in the chancel of the same style but later and probably early 13th century. All else dates from the 1849 rebuild which Pevsner refers to as done in "a decent, humble village style".  The pretty bell-turret with its shingled spire forms the centrepiece of what is a relatively picturesque church despite its relatively modern age. Given that Church Lane is narrow and with few parking opportunities it is better to find parking in the main part of the village, a triangular area opposite the Coach & Horses being ideal, and approach on foot. The churchyard is open and uncluttered with no obstacles for the photographer.