Raydon
Encyclopedia
Raydon is a village and civil parish
in Suffolk
, England
. Located around two miles south-east of Hadleigh, it is part of Babergh
district. The parish also includes the hamlets
of Lower Raydon (west) and The Woodlands (east). It was recorded in Domesday as "Reindune" or "Reinduna" and appears on John Speed's 1610 map as "Roydon".
Raydon is based along part of the B1070 named The Street (runs north-south) and St Mary's church is close to the T junction with Woodlands Road in the north of the village.
Raydon Mill dates from some time after the Mediaeval period located over a mile west of the village above Lower Raydon. It held some German POWs during the war. It's now residential, but the turbine and two pairs of stones remain.
The south and west of the parish, including Lower Raydon, is part of the Dedham Vale
AONB
. The northern part of the parish contains several nature reserve
s; Raydon Great Wood, Long Wood, Squares Grove and Tom's Wood, all of which are Ancient Woodland
. The abandoned Hadleigh Branch Line previously ran through the Great Wood, with a station at Raydon Wood
. The line is now also a nature reserve.
Brett Vale Golf Club is located to the west of the village.
Raydon Hall Farm is 1 km northeast from the village and the War Memorial is 1 km further on off Woodlands Road.
During World War II
an airfield was built in this area, which was initially known as United States Army Air Forces
(USAAF) Station 157, later becoming RAF Raydon
. Construction began when American
engineers from the 833rd and 862nd battalions arrived in summer 1942. Airfield personnel lived close to Great Wenham. The remaining buildings from the airfield are today part of Notley Enterprise Park.
Raydon Hall (TM0529039055) in this area is a Grade II building.
Two pubs in the village have closed for many years, Chequers (formerly Horseshoes) and the Fox.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Located around two miles south-east of Hadleigh, it is part of Babergh
Babergh
Babergh is a local government district in Suffolk, England. Its council headquarters is based in Hadleigh, whilst its largest town is Sudbury.The district was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of the Borough of Sudbury, Hadleigh urban district, Cosford Rural District, Melford Rural District and...
district. The parish also includes the hamlets
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
of Lower Raydon (west) and The Woodlands (east). It was recorded in Domesday as "Reindune" or "Reinduna" and appears on John Speed's 1610 map as "Roydon".
Raydon is based along part of the B1070 named The Street (runs north-south) and St Mary's church is close to the T junction with Woodlands Road in the north of the village.
Raydon Mill dates from some time after the Mediaeval period located over a mile west of the village above Lower Raydon. It held some German POWs during the war. It's now residential, but the turbine and two pairs of stones remain.
The south and west of the parish, including Lower Raydon, is part of the Dedham Vale
Dedham Vale
Dedham Vale is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the Essex-Suffolk border in east England. It comprises the area around the River Stour between Manningtree and Bures, including the village of Dedham in Essex. It is part of the area known since the artist's lifetime as Constable...
AONB
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an area of countryside considered to have significant landscape value in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, that has been specially designated by the Countryside Agency on behalf of the United Kingdom government; the Countryside Council for Wales on...
. The northern part of the parish contains several nature reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
s; Raydon Great Wood, Long Wood, Squares Grove and Tom's Wood, all of which are Ancient Woodland
Ancient woodland
Ancient woodland is a term used in the United Kingdom to refer specifically to woodland that has existed continuously since 1600 or before in England and Wales . Before those dates, planting of new woodland was uncommon, so a wood present in 1600 was likely to have developed naturally...
. The abandoned Hadleigh Branch Line previously ran through the Great Wood, with a station at Raydon Wood
Raydon Wood railway station
Raydon Wood railway station was a station in Suffolk, on a short branch line from Bentley Junction to Hadleigh.Former ServicesThe line opened in 1847 and closed to passenger traffic in 1932, with freight services lingering on until 1965....
. The line is now also a nature reserve.
Brett Vale Golf Club is located to the west of the village.
Raydon Hall Farm is 1 km northeast from the village and the War Memorial is 1 km further on off Woodlands Road.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
an airfield was built in this area, which was initially known as United States Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
(USAAF) Station 157, later becoming RAF Raydon
RAF Raydon
RAF Raydon is a former United States Army Air Force station in England. It is located just to the northeast of the village of Raydon, about 6 miles from Ipswich on the B1070 in Suffolk.-Origins:...
. Construction began when American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
engineers from the 833rd and 862nd battalions arrived in summer 1942. Airfield personnel lived close to Great Wenham. The remaining buildings from the airfield are today part of Notley Enterprise Park.
Raydon Hall (TM0529039055) in this area is a Grade II building.
Two pubs in the village have closed for many years, Chequers (formerly Horseshoes) and the Fox.