England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Okeford Fitzpaine St Andrew

The Parish

The parish of Okeford Fitzpaine lies in the northern portion of central Dorset roughly 7 miles northwest of the market town of Blandford Forum. Okeford Fitzpaine sits a little over a mile west of the A357 road which links Blandford Forum with Sturminster Newton. Okeford Fitzpaine is a mid-sized and compact village, an attractive one according to Pevsner showing much thatch above a banded stone or timber framed construction, built around a crossroads of lanes to the west of the River Stour. Okeford Fitzpaine was not ever this small, at one time it was granted a market and was a substantial settlement but that status was lost to a combination of Blandford Forum and Sturminster Newton which are both close by. The parish was typically farmed in a mixture of both arable and pastoral methods and was notably fertile. Okeford Fitzpaine is drained eastwards by the tiny Cookwell Brook which soon meets the Stour where water turns southeast to reach the English Channel through Christchurch Harbour. Okeford Fitzpaine is sited at around 80 metres above the sea sitting below the escarpment of Ball Hill which rises dramatically to the south topping out at 258 metres and along which runs the local Wessex Ridgway Trail. Okeford Fitzpaine was a large parish for its area, covering almost 2,600 acres it would have supported a population of around 650 parishioners. Early Okeford Fitzpaine was a substantial settlement and its Domesday version was of sufficient size to  be recorded amongst the largest 20% of settlements by population, held by Glastonbury Abbey its assets were 11 ploughs, backed by meadows, pastures and woodland and there was also a mill making for a profitable manor.

The Church

St Andrew's church sits east of the village's main north to south street, accessed along Greenhayes. At its heart is an aisled 15th century Perpendicular church but overlain upon this medieval content is a substantial rebuild of 1865-6. The story of change began early at the church, the 15th century tower replacing an earlier 14th century version leaving the scars in the form of piers in the nave's tower arch. The only other medieval element left from the 15th century is the northern wall of the north aisle. The medieval chancel had already been replaced by an 18th century version of 1772 when it too was replaced by the overarching Victorian rebuild, Much else within the church dates from that rebuild and would not be recognisable to the participants in these marriages. Greenhayes has only room for a pair of cars so it is better to find parking elsewhere and walk to the church, the neat lychgate grants access to a long path leading to the church. Sadly for the photographer the church is set in the southeastern corner of the churchyard removing most of the favoured aspects, all other angles are free but need care on a sunny day.