Wetherden is a village and civil parish in the county of Suffolk, England, situated about 4 miles (6.4 km) northwest of Stowmarket and about 1.25 miles (2.0 km) west of the larger village of Haughley. In 2011 the parish had a population of 540.[1]
| Wetherden | |
|---|---|
 Wetherden from the air | |
  Wetherden Location within Suffolk | |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Stowmarket |
| Postcode district | IP14 |
History
editIt was recorded in the 1086 Domesday Book as 'Watdena' or 'Wederdena',[2] the name deriving from old English 'wether' for castrated rams (male sheep) and 'dena' denoting valley.[3]
In the late 16th century the manor of Wetherden was acquired by John Sulyard who built Wetherden Hall to the north east of village - a moated farmhouse now occupies its site at Base Green.[3]
Buildings
editBuildings in the village include
- a Grade I listed medieval church, dedicated to Mary
St Mary's Church dates from the 14th century and is listed grade I.[4] It has a late 15th century roof (hammerbeams in the nave and camber beams in the aisle) and contains tombs to the Sulyard family, who partly funded its construction. It suffered damage during World War II when it was hit by bombs which also killed several village residents. The clock on the tower was erected by public subscription in 2012 to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.
- a Baptist Chapel
- a pub, The Maypole (c. 1530, a Grade II listed building).[5]
- a village hall
A school was established in 1868 catering for over 80 children at its peak, but dwindling numbers led to its closure in 1985, though the building continued to be used as pre-school, catering for under-5s, until 2014.[3]
Sport
editThe village playing field is home to Wetherden F.C. who play in the Ipswich Sunday football league.
Notable people
edit- Diarmaid MacCulloch, historian (born 1951) - lived in Wetherden as a boy[6]
- William Robinson (Governor of Hong Kong) (1836-1912) - born in Wetherden.
- Richard Shepherd (theologian) (1732-1809) - rector at Wetherden from 1792 until his death.
- John Sulyard (c. 1518-1575), local landowner, lawyer and politician.
- Michael Tippett (1905-1998), music composer - lived in Wetherden as a boy.
References
edit- ^ "Haughley and Wetherden". UK Census Data. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
- ^ "Suffolk V-Z". The Domesday Book Online. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
- ^ a b c "History". Wetherden Parish Council. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
- ^ "St Mary's, Wetherden". Suffolk Churches. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
- ^ "The Maypole Inn". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
- ^ Wetherden (episode 2). The Essay: Churchcrawls in Solitude (BBC Radio). 2021.
