England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Iford St Nicholas

The Parish

The parish of Iford lies in southern Sussex roughly 2 miles south of the market town of Lewes. Iford sits a similar distance south of the A27 road which links Brighton with Hastings via Lewes. Iford is one of a string of small villages sitting on the western edges of the flood-plain of the Sussex River Ouse, the parish being shaped to include extensive pasture towards the river and also rising onto the adjacent South Downs. Iford, itself, is small and compact with most properties lining a narrow out-and-back lane rather than the main route following the western edge of the valley. Most of the parish was set to pasture, early gazetteers estimate only 25% as being arable, the riverside pastures being frequented by cattle whilst those on the chalk downland being for sheep. Iford is drained the short distance south to the nearby English Channel by the Ouse which reaches the sea at Newhaven. Iford is sited at just 10 metres above the sea with the eastern portion of the parish barely above sea level, the western portion rises steeply onto the chalk quickly reaches 192 metres on Swanborough Hill traversed by the South Downs Way National Trail. Covering just over 2,100 acres Iford parish was typical for this area and would have supported a population of close to 150 parishioners. Whilst Iford has a Domesday entry it is clearly for a region rather than the specific manor which certainly wouldn't have supported 46 ploughs.

The Church

St Nicholas' church sits at the northeastern corner of the small village. Like many small country churches St Nicholas has fabric dating back to the earliest church-building times, indeed there is much that is 12th century Norman Romanesque. Both nave and chancel and the central tower all date from the 12th century with original windows still in situ, the chancel's windows are lancets but round-headed and the chancel also has an original Norman piscina, also round-headed. From the following Early English Gothic period of the 13th century comes the the former northern chapel which today forms the vestry. There had been a northern aisle added during the same century but this was removed during the 14th century, it is indicated by the blocked arches of the arcade. The 14th century saw minor changes with most of the nave windows replaced with Decorated style versions. Like most churches a Victorian restoration, here of 1868, repaired the chancel arch and replaced some more windows, finally discarded ordnance during World War II caused some damage to the church which has been repaired in the late 20th century. The lane which passes the church is broad enough for careful on-street parking, the churchyard has large mature trees at both southwestern & southeastern corners which do somewhat restrict the angles available for the photographer.