Hempstead (General)

by JaneyH , Tunbridge Wells, Kent, Thursday, January 02, 2020, 13:55 (1786 days ago) @ grahamdavison

"Extra parochial" means "outside the parish". So not only was the land not included within any parish boundaries, but ecclesiastical (church) law didn't apply. This would have given the incumbent a considerable degree of flexibility in choosing who he was prepared to baptise/marry.

It sounds like it was a popular location for those passing through, itinerants, and anyone else who didn't want too many questions being asked to tie the knot. No doubt it would have been quite a lucrative business, given that a fee is charged each time.