Weston, Suffolk
Encyclopedia
Weston is a village and civil parish
in the English
county
of Suffolk
located approximately 2 miles (3 km) south of Beccles
in the District of Waveney
. The parish lies either side of the A145
and is crossed by the Ipswich to Lowestoft railway line
. Neighbouring villages include Ellough
, Ringsfield
, Willingham St Mary
and Shadingfield
. The village is largely dispersed with a mid-2005 population estimate for the parish of 230.
The village has few services and a joint parish council covers both Ringsfield and Weston. The village once had a school, on King's Lane, and a public house, the Duke of Marlborough on the main A145. Both are now closed and the major centre of population in the parish is to the west where it borders Ringsfield Corner.
The parish church is medieval in origin and dedicated to St Peter. It has a primarily Norman core and is a Grade I listed building. The parish was combined with that of All Saints Church, Ellough
in the 1970s.
as Westuna and formed part of the William the Conqueror's estate, with land also being held by Roger Bigot, Hugh de Montfort and Geoffrey de Mandeville
. The village, which formed part of the Hundred of Wangford
, had a population of around 30 families and paid around 2 geld in taxation.
The manor passed through many hands, including, in the reign of Henry I
, the Lord Chancellor
William Longchamp
. Weston Hall was built in the late 16th century for the Rede family and partly demolished following a fie in 1821. The population of the parish was 211 in 1841, rising to 261 in 1871 and remaining at around that level until after the second world war.
in origin, built of local flint and mainly dating from the 12th century. It has a square 15th century tower and 15th century porch with a 13th century chancel and doorway to the nave. Suckling describes the church as "in a wretched state of repair and neglect" in 1846, at which time it was thatched. The building was restored in the 1860s, including ther renewal of many of the windows, although remnants of earlier windows remain.
Inside, the church has a high 15th century octagonal baptismal font
carved with representations of the seven sacraments. The font stands over six feet above the floor of the church on a Maltese cross
. A series of 15th century carved bench ends and the remnants of three 16th century wall paintings also remain within the church, which also features a rare example of the Arms of James II
on the south nave wall.
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 the English
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...
county
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
of 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...
located approximately 2 miles (3 km) south of Beccles
Beccles
Beccles is a market town and civil parish in the Waveney District of the English county of Suffolk. The town is shown on the milestone as from London via the A145 Blythburgh and A12 road, northeast of London as the crow flies, southeast of Norwich, and north northeast of the county town of...
in the District of Waveney
Waveney
Waveney is a local government district in Suffolk, England, named after the River Waveney that forms its north-west border. The district council is based in Lowestoft, the major settlement in Waveney, which is the only unparished area in the district...
. The parish lies either side of the A145
A145 road
The A145 is a road that connects the town of Beccles in Suffolk to the South.The entire route is a standard A road classification and although not particularly long it does provide a useful route onto the main A12 to Ipswich.-Route description:Beccles...
and is crossed by the Ipswich to Lowestoft railway line
East Suffolk Line
The East Suffolk Line is an un-electrified secondary railway line running between Ipswich and Lowestoft in Suffolk, England. The traffic along the route consists of passenger services operated by National Express East Anglia, while nuclear flask trains for the Sizewell nuclear power stations are...
. Neighbouring villages include Ellough
Ellough
Ellough is a parish in the English county of Suffolk located approximately south-east of Beccles. The area is sparsely populated with a mid-2005 population estimate of 40. Neighbouring villages include North Cove, Weston, Sotterley and Henstead...
, Ringsfield
Ringsfield
Ringsfield is a village and civil parish in the English county of Suffolk located approximately 2 miles south-west of Beccles in the District of Waveney. The mid-2005 population estimate for Ringsfield parish was 340. The modern village is concentrated around Ringsfield Corner crossroads, about...
, Willingham St Mary
Willingham St Mary
Willingham St Mary is a village and civil parish in the English county of Suffolk located about south of Beccles along the A145 in the District of Waveney. The village is joined with Shadingfield and west of Sotterley. At the 2001 census the parish had a population of 155...
and Shadingfield
Shadingfield
Shadingfield is a village in the English county of Suffolk located approximately 4 miles south of Beccles along the A145. The village is joined with Willingham St Mary and 1½ miles west of Sotterley. The mid-2005 population estimate for Shadingfield parish was 170...
. The village is largely dispersed with a mid-2005 population estimate for the parish of 230.
The village has few services and a joint parish council covers both Ringsfield and Weston. The village once had a school, on King's Lane, and a public house, the Duke of Marlborough on the main A145. Both are now closed and the major centre of population in the parish is to the west where it borders Ringsfield Corner.
The parish church is medieval in origin and dedicated to St Peter. It has a primarily Norman core and is a Grade I listed building. The parish was combined with that of All Saints Church, Ellough
All Saints Church, Ellough
All Saints Church, Ellough, is a redundant Anglican church in the parish of Ellough in the English county of Suffolk. The church is medieval in origin and has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust...
in the 1970s.
History
The village is named in the Domesday bookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
as Westuna and formed part of the William the Conqueror's estate, with land also being held by Roger Bigot, Hugh de Montfort and Geoffrey de Mandeville
Geoffrey de Mandeville (11th century)
Geoffrey de Mandeville may have been Constable of the Tower of London. His surname comes from the town of Manneville or Magna Villa near Valognes in Manche on the Cotentin Peninsula...
. The village, which formed part of the Hundred of Wangford
Wangford (hundred)
Wangford was a hundred of Suffolk, consisting of .Wangford Hundred was an area of around twelve miles from west to east and five across. The River Waveney formed its northern border separating it from Norfolk...
, had a population of around 30 families and paid around 2 geld in taxation.
The manor passed through many hands, including, in the reign of Henry I
Henry I of England
Henry I was the fourth son of William I of England. He succeeded his elder brother William II as King of England in 1100 and defeated his eldest brother, Robert Curthose, to become Duke of Normandy in 1106...
, the Lord Chancellor
Lord Chancellor
The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
William Longchamp
William Longchamp
William Longchamp , sometimes known as William de Longchamp or William de Longchamps, was a medieval Lord Chancellor, Chief Justiciar, and Bishop of Ely in England. Born to a humble family in Normandy, he owed his advancement to royal favour. Although contemporary writers accused Longchamp's father...
. Weston Hall was built in the late 16th century for the Rede family and partly demolished following a fie in 1821. The population of the parish was 211 in 1841, rising to 261 in 1871 and remaining at around that level until after the second world war.
The church of St Peter
The main body of the church is NormanNorman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
in origin, built of local flint and mainly dating from the 12th century. It has a square 15th century tower and 15th century porch with a 13th century chancel and doorway to the nave. Suckling describes the church as "in a wretched state of repair and neglect" in 1846, at which time it was thatched. The building was restored in the 1860s, including ther renewal of many of the windows, although remnants of earlier windows remain.
Inside, the church has a high 15th century octagonal baptismal font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
carved with representations of the seven sacraments. The font stands over six feet above the floor of the church on a Maltese cross
Maltese cross
The Maltese cross, also known as the Amalfi cross, is identified as the symbol of an order of Christian warriors known as the Knights Hospitaller or Knights of Malta and through them came to be identified with the Mediterranean island of Malta and is one of the National symbols of Malta...
. A series of 15th century carved bench ends and the remnants of three 16th century wall paintings also remain within the church, which also features a rare example of the Arms of James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
on the south nave wall.