England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Ogbourne St George

The Parish

The parish of Ogbourne St George (there is also its neighbour Ogbourne St Andrew in the county) lies in northeast Wiltshire not too far from its border with neighbouring Berkshire. Ogbourne St George sits astride, but mainly to the west of, the A346 road which links Marlborough with Swindon, Ogbourne St George being about 4 miles north of Marlborough and set at the point where that road becomes part of an ancient Roman Road. Ogbourne St George sits in a chalk downland landscape that has been inhabited for millennia, there are numerous pre-Roman features within the parish as well as the Roman Road itself. The area would have been dominated by sheep rearing during the period of this transcript although nowadays with modern fertilisers much is turned to cereal today. The landscape is classic downland gently rolling with deep dry valleys cut into the surface (probably formed during the immediate post-glacial period when run-off was much more pronounced). These valleys run north to south and the River Og drains much of the parish southwards to join the Kennet at Marlborough, thence through the Thames to the North Sea. Ogbourne St George sits within the Og valley at a height of around 150 metres above sea level, land rises to the local heights both west and west of around 230 - 240 metres. Ogbourne St George parish is of a typical size for parishes in chalk country it covered around 3,500 acres and supported just over 500 parishioners. In Domesday Book Ogbourne St George is not separately enumerated being combined with both Ogbourne St Andrew and Ogbourne Maizey, the joint area being mostly held directly by the King, with Miles Crispin a lesser holder, two other gentleman had notional holdings. The whole boasted 22 ploughs as well as pastures, meadows, woodland and a mill.

The Church

St George's church sits in the northwestern corner of the village accessed by its own surfaced lane. The church has architecture from three distinct periods, the arcades are earliest and from the Early English period of the 13th century, the western tower is later and Perpendicular from the late 14th century and the chancel is a Victorian replacement as part of a general restoration of 1873. There is much use of the local flint throughout. The church sits at the top of its lane, where there is a parking pull-in, with open fields beyond. A low wall with metal gates protects the churchyard, within there are few restrictions to photography.