SUFFOLK. 



SUFFOLK. 



UM KM Mar Southwold : it is navigable up to Hulesworth, 8 or S 

 mil**. Thrr ar no canals within the county, but some of the smaller 

 ban krftt made navigable. 



Norwich and Ipswich road enters the county at Stratford 

 Bride* orr the Stour, between Colchester and Ipswioh, and runs to 

 Inswiob, and theaae northward by Stoke ami Scole Bridge over the 

 W*vrny into the county of Norfolk. Tho Yarmouth rond brunches 

 from th Norwich road at Ipswioh, and runs through Woodbridge, 

 Snxmundtuuu, and Lowestoft. A second Yarmouth rood branching 

 from this at Blythburgh, between Saxmundham and Lowestoft, passes 

 through Beoclea, and rejoins the road just before entering Yarmouth. 

 The Norwich and Newmarket road enters the county at Newmarket, 

 rnns eastward to Bury St. Edmunds, and then northward to Thetford 

 in Norfolk. Another road to Norwich enters the county at Sudbury, 

 and runs by Long Mrlford to Bury, and thence by Ixworth and 

 Botmd de to tho Norwich nd Ipswich road at Scole. A road from 

 Burr leads by Stnwmaricet and Needham-Harkot to Ipswich. The 

 roaot in all parts of tho county are excellent. 



The Extern Counties and Eastern Union railway enters the county 

 from Essex DMT Manningtree, and proceeds north by cost to Ip.-wieh. 

 and thrnco north-west to Stowmarket, where it divides, one branch 

 continuing north-west to Bury St. Edmunds, the other running north 

 by eut to Norwich, and quitting Suffolk near Diss. A short branch 

 quit* the main line at Bentley, and proceed* to Hadleigh. The 

 Sudbury and the Newmarket branches of the Eastern Counties line 

 just touch the border of the county ; and the Norfolk line skirts the 

 border for a short distance from Lakcuhealh and Brandon to Thetford. 

 A short portion of the Lowestoft branch of the Norfolk line is within 

 the county. 



Climale, Soil, and AgricuUvre. The climate is much drier than that 

 of the more western counties of England ; but also colder in spring, 

 when the north-easterly winds prevail. The soil, although varying 

 extremely, may be divided into three or four distinct kinds. A very 

 rieh loam, chiefly alluvial, is found in a small portion of the southern 

 part of tlie county, between the Orwell and the Stour. The next 

 das* consists of heavier loams, varying in every degree, but in general 

 resting on an impervious soil of marl cr clay, and in most situations 

 requiring the assistance of drains to carry off superfluous water. This 

 soil is found in the whole of the centre of the county, from the Stour 

 to the borders of Norfolk. Between the strong loam and the sea is a 

 strip running from the north bank of the river Orwell to Yarmouth, 

 dirnini'hing in breadth as it stretches northward, and consisting 

 chiefly of sand of various qualities, incumbent on a subsoil of crag, 

 which is a loose rocky substance, composed of sand, gravel, and broken 

 shells, partly consolidated into a kind of stone. Some of this sand is 

 enriched by organic matter intimately mixed with it : this is excellent 

 for root*, especially carrots, and bears very fine barley. In the portions 

 which lie low, and which have at some time or other been covered 

 with water, a very rich mud has been deposited, and baa produced as 

 rich a soil as may be desired. There is another tract of sand of a 

 much inferior quality on the western extremity of the county, extend- 

 ing from Bury St Edmunds to Thetford, with some better lands 

 interspersed. The last class consists of the fen-lands, which, when 

 properly drained, become valuable; but in their natural state, soaked 

 in water, are of little value. The greater part of the land is under 

 the plough. Improved systems of husbandry are generally intro- 

 duced, and most of the usual crops are raised. There is no part of 

 England where the implements of husbandry are more perfect than in 

 Suffolk, or where new implements are tried with more readiness. This is 

 owing in a great measure to the very excellent manufacturers of agri- 

 cultural implements who livu in the county. Of these manufacturers 

 Messrs. Hansom of Ipswich, are the chief. The works of Messrs. 

 Oarratt, at Lciston, are of little less importance. Many farm-buildings 

 of a superior clan have been erected of late years. 



Suffolk has but one breed of cattle which is peculiar to it. It is a 

 polled breed, of which tho cows are in great repute, and justly so. 

 The oxen have not been much attended to, as most of the bull-calves 

 are fatted for the butchers or sent toward Essi>x and London for 

 that purpose. The Suffolk farm-horses are noted for their docility 

 and steadiness. Suffolk pi#i are perhaps, on the whole, the most 

 profitable breed in England. They are well-shaped, short-legged, 

 mostly white, with short upright eirs, and the porkers of this breed 

 are excellent Suffolk has no indigenous breed of sheep ; the South- 

 down and a cross of this breed with the Leicester and Cotswold are 

 very common. 



t, Toteiu, *c. The county is divided into twenty hundreds, 

 as follows, booides the liberty of the borough of Ipswich : Black- 

 bourn, HartUmere, Home, and Wangford, north; Mutford and Loth- 

 iiu-Und. north-cut ; Bly thing and Plomcugatc, eaat ; Colneis, Carlford, 

 nd Wilfurd, south-east; Samford, south; Babcrgh, south-west; 

 Iti-l ridgf, west; Lackford, north-west; and Bosmere and Claydon, 

 Cosford, \M, Stow, Thedwcstry, Thingoe, and Thredling, central. 



Suffolk contain* the two county and borough towns of IPSWICH and 

 BDRY RT. EIIMO.NW, tho parliamentary borough of ETR, the ex- 

 parliamentary boroughs of ALnjionoi'uii, or ALDinunaii, Dunwicli, 

 OftroRn, and SODBURY, ami the market-towns of BECCI.ES, BCMIAY, 

 Clare, Oebenham, KRAMI.ISI.IIAM, IlAiJi.r.niii, HALKHWORTH, I 

 UAM, LOWOTOR, MJLDHNIULL, NCWICABKET, Soxmundham, SOUTU- 



WOLD, STOWMARKET, Stradbroke. and WOODBRIDOK; with the ex- 

 market-towns of BILDESTONK, Blythburgh, B>tes late, I'.ic 

 II iv.'idiill (partly in E-wexi, Ixn-orth, Mondlesham, N.-. Ihani Market, 

 Nayland, and Woolpit The places printed in small capitals are 

 df"-ribcd under their respective titles; of tho rest we subjoin an 

 account, 



Clare, population of the parish 1769 in 1851, about 18 miles S.s.\V. 

 from Bury St. Edmunds, it situated on the left bank of the river 

 Stour. The streets are wide, but the houses generally are of 

 appearance. There is a corn-exchange of modern erection. The 

 church, a fine large building, was recently repaired, and a new pallery 

 added. There are places of worship for Baptists nud Independent*; 

 also an Infant school. On the south side of tho town arc tlie vestiges 

 of an old castle, and the remains of a priory of regular canons of 

 St. Augustine. The market is on Monday for corn, and there are 

 two small yearly fairs. 



Jlarerhilt, population of the pariah 2535, of which number 257 werj 

 in Essex, is about 16 miles S.W. from Bury St. Edmunds. Haverhill 

 consists chiefly of one street, wide, but lined with poor houses, along 

 the road from Colchester to Cambridge'. Besides the parish chnri,, 

 which is an ancient edifice, there aro places of worship for Independ- 

 ents, Baptists, ami Quakers, a National school, a Charity school 

 a savings bank. Half a mild north-west of the town once stood a 

 castle, of which there are now no remains. A weekly mark 

 two annual fairs are held. A particular kind of stout twilled cotton, 

 called drabbet, is made at Haverhill. 



Kazmundham, population 1180 in 1851, is about 21 miles N.E. from 

 Ipswich, on tho road to Yarmouth. The town lies in a valley, tlin.n h 

 which, at the back of the houses, on the east side of the street, ruus 

 a small brook, a feeder of the Aide. The church U a neat building 

 just out of the town. Tho Independents have a place of woivhip, 

 and there are National schools. The market is on Thursday ; there 

 are two yearly fairs. 



The following places had markets, which have been discontinued : 



Blythburgh, population 1118 (of whom 511 were in Blything Union 

 workhouse) in 1851, is on the right bank of the BIyth, 30 miles N.E. 

 from Ipswich. It was in the middle ages an important fishing and 

 trading town. Sessions for the division were held here, and there was 

 a jail, of which some portions remained till the middle of the lu-t 

 century. The church is of perpendicular character; the length of it 

 is 127 feet, the width above 54 feet. Some portions of painted L-la-s 

 are in tho windows. The Primitive Methodists have a chapel. There 

 are remains of a priory for the canons of St. Augustine. Boteadale, 

 population 626, is about 15 miles N.E. from Bury, on the road In 

 Norwich by Scole. With the village of Rickingall Inferior it form; ;i 

 street of more than a mile long. A market was formerly held at 

 Botesdale on Thursday. There is a fair on Holy Thursday for cattle, 

 pedlery, &c. The chapel at Botesdale has some good portions of 

 perpendicular architecture. Tho Baptists and Wesleyan .Mcthodi-t < 

 have chapels, and there is a National school. UebenhuM, population 

 of the parish 1653 in 1851, is about 13 miles N. from Ipswich, on tho 

 river Deben, here a mere brook. From its situation on a declivity tho 

 town is clean, but the houses are generally poor. The church U a 

 handsome edifice, and the market-house is a tolerably good building. 

 There are a place of worship for Independent?, National and Free 

 schools, and a reading society. The market was held on Friday. 

 There is one fair yearly. Dtinwich, population 291, is on tho coast, 

 about 23 miles N.E. from Ipswich. Whilst East Anglia subsisted as 

 a separate kingdom, Dunwicli was a place of importance, and the scat 

 of the first East Anglian bishopric, which was subsequently fixed at 

 Norwich. In the civil war of John the townsmen adhered to the king, 

 who had befriended the town, and granted it a charter of incorporation. 

 They contributed several vessels and many men to the king's naval 

 service in the French wars of Kdw.ud 1. and III. In the war of the 

 Roses they embraced tho Yorkist party; and this, l>y inducing 

 Henry VII. to incorporate the rival town of South wold, contributed 

 to the decay of the place. The chief cause of this decay however was 

 the encroachment of the sea, which not only ruined the port, but 

 washed away the greater part of the town. Besides the ruins of All 

 Saints church (the only one remaining of seven churches which 

 Dunwicli once possessed), there are the remains of a Gray Friars 

 house, and of tho chapel of St James's hospital. The present church 

 was built in 1830. The village has a yearly fair. Some sprats and her- 

 rings are caught and cured here. The borough was disfranchised by 

 the Reform Act Ixworth, population 1189, is about 7 miles N'.K. 

 from Bury. There was anciently a priory for the regular canons of 

 St. Augustine, founded about 1100. The parish church is a sncill 

 ancient building. The \Vesleyan Methodists and Baptists have 

 chapels, and there aro National and Infant schools. There are some 

 remains of the priory, but the greater part of its site is n i\v occupied 

 by a modern mansion called Ixworth Abbey. AlendleihuM, population 

 1442, is about 15 miles N. by W. from Ipswich. Tho village extends 

 about three miles along the road. Tho market has long been given 

 up. The church is a handsome building, and there are chapels fur 

 Wesleyan Methodists, Independents, and Baptists. A yearly fair is 

 held on the 2nd and 3rd of October. An ancient silver crown of 60 

 ounces weight was found here near the close of the 17tli century : it 

 was supposed to have belonged to one of the East Anglian 



