Bramfield, Suffolk

Coordinates: 52°18′36″N 1°31′05″E / 52.310°N 1.518°E / 52.310; 1.518
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Bramfield
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townHalesworth
Postcode districtIP19
Map
List of places
UK
England
Suffolk
52°18′36″N 1°31′05″E / 52.310°N 1.518°E / 52.310; 1.518

Bramfield is a village and

East Suffolk railway line between Lowestoft and Ipswich passes close to the west of the village with Halesworth railway station
being the nearest station.

History

The village grew up as a crossroads location near the source of a tributary of the

Count Alan of Brittany.[2][3] In the medieval period a main route between the port of Dunwich and Bury St Edmunds crossed the modern day A144 road in the centre of the village.[2]
The village retains its basic cross plan, having developed around the crossroads.

Some

scheduled ringwork 83 metres (272 ft) in diameter known as Castle Yard south-east of the village.[2][4] A market was held in the village until the 16th century.[2] The economy has always been based around agriculture, including the linen industry which developed in the Waveney valley area to the north.[2] Malting and milling were important economically from the 18th century. The village had two windmills, with post mills, which were demolished in 1904 and 1944.[2]

Geography

The village lies near the source of a tributary of the River Blyth and the main street is situated along the river valley. An area of sandlings is found in the east of the parish, with the village itself on the eastern edge of the "High Suffolk" clay plateau.[2]

Culture and community

Most of the village has been designated as a conservation area by

United Reformed chapel, built in 1841, with its own graveyard.[2] A small village green survives in the centre of the village outside the pub, The Queen's Head.[2] The pub includes buildings dating from the 16th century and is a Grade II listed building.[8]

Bramfield House School is 1 mile (1.6 km) west of the village on the road to

special educational needs.[9]

Nationally renowned poet Roger Langley lived in the village following his retirement as a teacher and much of his work was inspired by the countryside around Bramfield and carvings in the village church. Langley was posthumously awarded the 2011 Forward Prize for Best Single Poem, for "To a Nightingale".

Landmarks

There are a number of listed buildings in Bramfield.[10]

St Andrew's Church

Main article: St Andrew's Church, Bramfield

The 14th century parish church

St Andrew. It is the only example of a detached round tower church in Suffolk.[13] Both the church and its tower are Grade I listed buildings.[11][12]

Bramfield Hall

Bramfield Hall dates from the 16th century but was substantially altered and extended in the 18th century.[14] Built of red brick in three storeys to an H-shaped floorplan, it has a symmetrical 9-bay late 18th century frontage with projecting wings. The boundary wall of the estate is a crinkle crankle wall built in a wavy line for extra stability. The hall itself is a Grade II* listed building.[14]

The hall was the home of the Rabett family for several centuries. [15] It was later the home of Gladwyn Jebb, the 1st Baron Gladwyn of Bramfield, who was the acting Secretary-General of the United Nations on its formation in 1945 and is buried in the village at St Andrew's church.

Notable people

  • Thomas Higham (1795 - 1844), antiquary and topographical engraver

References

  1. ^ Parish population 2011, Neighbourhood statistics, Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 2016-08-28.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Bramfield Conservation Area appraisal, Suffolk Coastal District Council, December 2014. Retrieved 2015-10-21.
  3. ^ Bramfield, Open Domesday. Retrieved 2015-10-21.
  4. ^ Scheduled Monument - 'Castle Yard' earthworks, Scheduled Ancient Monument, Heritage Gateway. Retrieved 2015-10-21.
  5. ^ Bramfield Primary School, Suffolk County Council. Retrieved 2015-10-21.
  6. ^ Bramfield Primary School, Department for Education. Retrieved 2015-10-21.
  7. ^ Welcome to Bramfield Website, Bramfield.net. Retrieved 2015-10-21.
  8. ^ Queens Head Inn, Bramfield, British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 2015-10-21.
  9. ^ Bramfield House School - Halesworth, Suffolk County Council. Retrieved 2015-10-21.
  10. ^ Bramfield, British Listed Buildings]. Retrieved 2015-10-21.
  11. ^ a b St Andrews Church, Bramfield, British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 2015-10-21.
  12. ^ a b Tower of St Andrews Church, Bramfield, British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 2015-10-21.
  13. ^ St Andrew, Bramfield, Suffolk Churches. Retrieved 2015-10-21.
  14. ^ a b Bramfield Hall, Bramfield, British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 2015-10-21.
  15. ^ A Brief History of Bramfield, Bramfield.net. Retrieved 2014-03-29.

External links

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