England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Draycot Cerne St James

The Parish

The parish of Draycot Cerne lies in northwestern Wiltshire about 3 miles north of the market town of Chippenham. Draycot Cerne is a small place, little more than a hamlet which sits on the B4069 road which connects Chippenham with Lyneham, the parish is dominated by the former estate of Draycot House. Draycot Cerne, as marked upon modern Ordnance Survey maps is just a small cluster of farms and cottages to the west of the B4069 and west of its junction with the B4122. The owners of Draycot House, the Cerne family, which was demolished in 1955, owned most of the land within the parish and restricted inbound migration thus no formal village developed. As an estate parish the economy would have been dominated by the needs of that estate and in this area pastoral farming dominated a mixed farming regime. Modern developments have impacted the parish, however, as the modern M4 motorway carves its way through just to the north. Draycot Cerne is drained eastwards by a small tributary of the Avon which is soon met, the latter heads south and then back westward to reach the outer Bristol Channel through its iconic gorge. Draycot Cerne is sited at around 70 metres above the sea in gentle terrain which rises only slightly reaching almost 90 meres by the M4. Draycot Cerne was one of the county's smaller parishes, covering a little under 1,000 acres it would have supported a population of almost 200 parishioners. In Domesday times Draycot Cerne was a holding of a marshall, Geoffrey, it could offer 5 ploughs, the usual meadows and woodland and also had a mill.

The Church

St James' church sits within the former estate of Draycot House and has been deconsecrated and is now managed by the Churches Conservation Trust. Much of the main body of the church dates back to the 13th century but like so many it has been altered many times over the centuries. Showing the Early English style lancet windows, the chancel is clearly of this era albeit the windows are reset. Similarly the nave dates to the same period even though many windows have been replaced in later eras. The 14th century, and Perpendicular in style, is evidenced by the southern porch whilst the tower stands in contrast as largely 17th century, a period rare in church building. Also of this date the notable local family of Long added their private chapel to the northern aspect in 1692. Victorian modifications came in two distinct campaigns, the chancel arch being rebuilt in 1845 whilst a more fundamental restoration took place in the mid 1860s. The former driveway leaves the B4069 headed northward through a wide entrance, the surfaced drive leading th quarter mile to the churchyard and then winding around. Sadly the church is tightly enclosed in surrounding trees which severely limit the angles available for the photographer.