Strip parish

Evidence of such parishes can be found throughout England, although they seem to have been more common in a number of southern counties, particularly but not exclusively associated with locations including both lowland and upland landscapes or alternatively coastal communities.

This resulted in estates and parishes which were narrow elongated strips with a mix of land types, ensuring a greater availability of resources.

Subsequent expansion of the temporary summer settlements resulted in the establishment of permanent communities, including the formation of autonomous manors or hamlets with their own, initially modest, chapels-of-ease, which later became churches.

Where topography did not allow a parish to expand uphill in one contiguous strip, it might acquire an exclave of upland territory: for example, Marsworth and its detached manor of Hawridge.

The combination of soils that form as a result of this variety of underlying bedrock promotes prosperity because it allows several different types of agriculture in a small area: alluvium (holding water, promoting lush pastures for feeding cattle), chalk (well drained, dry for sheep), sandstone ridge (infertile, but still suitable for woodland to provide charcoal and fuel for cooking and heating).