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Data supplied by Heritage Suffolk
1. Parish: Wetheringsett Cum Brockford
Meaning: People of Wetherden by the Ford over the Brook
2. Hundred: Hartismere
Deanery: Hartismere (–1987), Hartismere (North) (1807–1931), N. Hartismere (1931–1972), Hartismere (1972–)
Union: Hartismere
RDC/UDC: (E.Suffolk) Hatismere RD (–1974), Mid Suffolk DC (1974–)
Other administrative details:
Hartismere Petty Sessional Division
Eye County Court District
3. Area: 3, 812 acres (1912)
4. Soils: Fine loam over clay soil with slowly permeable subsoil. Subject to seasonal waterlogging.
5. Types of farming:
1086 Wood for 403 pigs, 30 pigs, 2 cobs, 8 cattle, 107 sheep, 18 goats.
1500–1640 Thirsk: Wood-pasture region, mainly pasture,meadow, engaged in rearing and dairying with some pig-keeping, horse breeding and poultry. Crops mainly barley with some wheat, rye, oats, peas, vetches, hops and occasionally hemp.
1818 Marshall: Course of crops varies usually
including summer fallow as preparation for corn products.
1937 Main crops: Wheat, barley, beans, sugar beet, roots.
1969 Trist: More intensive cereal growing
and sugar beet.
6. Enclosure:
1849 Wetheringsett Green: 82 acres enclosed under General Acts of 1846
Brockford Green: 64 acres enclosed under General Acts of 1846
7. Settlement:
1958 Main development situated to east of Roman road, small and compact. Church and rectory centrally situated. Secondary developments at a. Brockford Green (gospel hall) and b. Brockford Street (malthouse and smithy), c. Blacksmiths Green (group of farms)
Scattered farms.
Inhabited houses: 1674 – 82, (Wetheringsett), 33 (Brockford), 1801 – 113, 1851 – 230, 1871 – 229, 1901 – 189, 1951 – 194, 1981 – 200
8. Communications:
Road: To Thorndon. Link road to main road to Eye (Roman road)
1844 Ipswich–Norwich turnpike road crossed the Dove river at this point
1891 1 carrier recorded
1912 Carriers to Ipswich, Mickfield and Stonham Tuesday and Saturday
Rail: 1891 5½ miles Finningham station: Ipswich–Norwich line, opened 1848, station closed 1966
1904 Mid Suffolk Light railway opened 1904. Railhead at Wetheringsett and Brockford, rather than passenger stop, closed 1952
Air: Mendlesham Air base: operational in 1943 as RAF fighter base with 3 squadrons of Czech pilots flying Spitfires. Handed over to USAF 34th Bombardment Group in 1944 who flew B17 and B24 bombers. Inactive status 1945-54. Transferred to industrial use during 1950’s. Anglia TV mast raised in 1959, total height 305.4m (1,002ft) . Lorry training and Anglia Warehousing Co. occupy site 1977
9. Population:
1086 – Wetheringsett: 49 recorded
Brockford: 17 recorded
1327 – 40 taxpayers paid £3 10s. (includes Brockford)
1524 – 87 taxpayers paid £14 9s. 11d. (includes 31 in Brockford)
1603 – 200 adults
1674 – 116 households (Wetheringsett)
34 households (Brockford)
1676 – 155 adults
1801 – 851 inhabitants
1831 – 1,001 inhabitants
1851 – 1,101 inhabitants
1871 – 1,063 inhabitants
1901 – 812 inhabitants
1931 – 801 inhabitants
1951 – 665 inhabitants
1971 – 606 inhabitants
1981 – 550 inhabitants
10. Benefice: Rectory
1254 Valued £26 13s. 4d.
1291 Valued £33 6s. 8d.
1535 Valued £33 9s. 2d.
1831 Curate, stipend £120 p.a. Glebe house. Gross income £631 p.a.
Incumbent also holds Prebend in the Cathedral of Norwich and the Rectory of Stonham Aspall.
Rectory house built 1843. 64 acrse 2R 34P glebe. Rent charge of £713 9s. in lieu of tithes.
1912 Nett value £440. 119 acres glebe and residence.
Patrons: Sir Stephen Soham (1603), A. Steward (1831), Rev. Robert Moore (1855), Mrs Brooke (1912)
11. Church All Saints
(Chancel, vestry, aisles, N. & S. porches, W. tower)
1086 Church + 16 acres land, ½ plough
13th cent. S. door, sedilia in chancel, arcades
14th cent. S. aisle
15th cent. Tower
1643/44 Puritanical Vandals (William Dowsing) destroyed 19 crosses, 16 arches and 1 picture
1857 Thorough restoration
Seats: 500, 272 free
Brockford Church: Mentioned in writings of Joceline de Brakelond 1198. Church has entirely disappeared – dedication and site unknown.
12. Nonconformity etc:
1603 4 nonconformists
1676 5 nonconformists
Mother Benet executed because she refused to attend mass 1557/58.
House set aside for worship 1813 and 1820.
Gospel Hall in existence 1958.
13. Manorial:
Wetheringsett Manor:
1066/1086 Manor of 4 carucates belonging to St. Etheldreda’s
1528 Crown held 61 year lease
1575 Lady Dorothy Stafford owns
1600 Sir Stephen Soame owns passing to the Edgar and Jenney families
Brockford Hall:
Anciently belonged to Abbey of St. Edmunds by gift of Bishop of Elmham c.963 AD
12th cent. Linked to Old Hall Braiseworth via Sir Robert de Sackville
An alternative version has the lordship still in the hands of Abbey of St. Edmunds 1286
1553/4 Anne of Cleves owns (linked to numerous manors throughout Suffolk)
late 16th cent. Thomas Gawdy owns
1855 John George Sheppard owns (linked to Rishangles) passing to the Revett family
Sub-manors:
Stoneham’s:
Late 16th cent. Sir Thomas Gawdy owns (absorbed by main manor)
14. Markets/Fairs:
15. Real property:
1844 £4,696 rental value
1891 £4,808 rateable value
1912 £3,521 rateable value
16. Land ownership:
1844–1912 Land sub-divided
17. Resident gentry:
1667 1 gentleman
1844 Rev. R. Moore BA
1912 Rev. F.R. Smith MA
18. Occupations:
1473 1 chaplain
1500–1549 4 husbandmen, 1 clerk
1550–1599 11 yeomen, 11 husbandmen, 1 clerk, 1 labourer, 1 timberman, 1 spinster, 1 ploughwright, 1 shoemaker, 2 tanners
1600–1649 13 yeomen, 5 husbandmen, 2 tailors, 1 apprentice, 1 linen weaver, 1 felt maker, 1 ploughwright
1650–1699 12 yeomen, 1 husbandmen, 1 clerk, 1 linen weaver/yeoman, 1 glover, 2 tailors, 1 spinster, 1 bricklayer, 1 collarmaker, 1 millwright, 1 blacksmith
Brockford:
1550–1599 1 carpenter, 1 yeoman, 1 weaver, 1 wheelwright
1600–1649 1 carpenter, 4 yeomen, 2 husbandmen
1650–1699 10 yeomen, 1 blacksmith, 1 cooper, 1 husbandman, 1physic physician
1831 (combined) 177 in agriculture, 34 in retail trade, 3 professionals, 56 in domestic service, 12 others
1844 Wetheringsett: 4 shoemakers, carpenter, victualler, grocer/tailor, wheelwright, 2 blacksmiths, beerhouse keeper, bricklayer, 13 farmers
Brockford: grocer/draper, 2 carpenters, shoemaker, beerhouse keeper, victualler, saddler, 6 farmers
1912 Wetheringsett: 2 millers, 17 farmers, shoemaker, blacksmith, thatcher, publican, poultry/pig dealer, cooper, 2 beer retailers, 2 shopkeepers, dressmaker, poultry dealer, carrier/egg merchant, wheelwright
Brockford: 6 farmers, carpenter, 3 surgeons, horse slaughterer, blacksmith, carrier/carpenter, newsagent, shopkeeper, publican, saddler, cattle dealer
19. Education:
1818 Occasional school run by elderly lady
1 writing school (11 attend)
1 endowed Sunday school (40–80 attend)
Some children attend daily school at Mendlesham or Debenham
1833 1 daily school (19 attend), 1 Sunday school (51 attend)
Parochial school built 1859 100 attend, enlarged 1911, average attendance 1912 158
20. Poor relief:
1776 £223 11s. 1d.
1803 £355 11s. 2d.
1818 £977
1830 £848 10s.
1832 £642 19s.
1834 £782 13s.
21. Charities:
Town Lands:
1840 75 acres 2R 14P let at £113 p.a.
4 tenements occupied by poor
Rents applied to poor relief, fuel, blankets, pecuniary aid and church repairs
Shepherd’s Charity:
1707 by will of Rev. John Shepherd: 40s. p.a. for food, drinks, prayers. Surplus for distribution among 20 poor persons
22. Other institutions:
Guild of St. Thomas of Canterbury 1439
1776 Workhouse (25 inmates)
23. Recreation:
Wetheringsett:
1844–1891 The White Horse public house, 1 beerhouse
1912 The White Horse public house
Brockford:
1844 1 beerhouse, and the Griffin public house
1891 1 beer retailer, 1 beerhouse, the Griffin public house
1912 Horticultural Society, 2 beer retailers, the Griffin public house
24. Personal:
Mother Benet: religious martyr: denied burial in churchyard. Grave placed by highway 1557/8.
Richard Hakluyt: Rector of this parish, author of ‘English Voyages’ (dates unknown).
‘Hakluyt of Wetheringsett’. PSIA Vol.XXII, p.25.
George Quinton: artist (no dates).
Robert Revett: 1657 resident of Brockford, Chief Constable of Hartismere Hundred
25. Other information:
Memorial to men of 34th Bomb Group stands on side of A.140 road 20th cent.