Wangford

Wangford
Wangford
	Wangford Location within Suffolk
Population	591 (2011)
OS grid reference	TM465795
Civil parish	Wangford with Henham;
District	East Suffolk;
Shire county	Suffolk;
Region	East;
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	BECCLES
Postcode district	NR34
Dialling code	01502
Police	Suffolk
Fire	Suffolk
Ambulance	East of England
UK Parliament	Suffolk Coastal;
	List of places UK England Suffolk 52°21′18″N 1°37′19″E / 52.355°N 1.622°E

Wangford is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Wangford with Henham, in the East Suffolk district, in the county of Suffolk, England, just off the A12 trunk road on the edge of the Henham Park estate just outside Southwold.

Wangford is connected to the rest of Suffolk by two main roads. At one side of the village the road leads straight on to the A12 (dual carriage way), and the other side of the village leads to Reydon, and Southwold (B1126).

In 1961 the civil parish had a population of 427.^[1] On 1 April 1987 the parish was merged with Henham to form "Wangford with Henham".^[2] Wangford with Henham has approximately 640 residents,^[3] reducing to 591 at the 2011 Census.^[4] and the main village covers about 50 acres (200,000 m²).

At the centre of the village there is a community centre, containing a reasonable sized hall, a bar, a kitchen and a small games room. There is also a shop, a pub (the Angel Inn), a farm shop, a playing field and allotments, tennis courts and the local vet.

History

At the dissolution of the monasteries, Wangford Priory was granted to Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk.^[5]

The church of St Peter and St Paul

The Parish church of Wangford cum Henham is dedicated to St Peter and St Paul; situated near the centre of the village. The church here was near derelict by the mid-19th century. It was all that survived of a Cluniac Priory, a cell to the mother Priory at Thetford in Norfolk. Left derelict at the end of the 19th century, it was restored by the local Rous family, the Earls of Stradbroke who set about creating a monument to themselves here because there is no church in the parish of Henham. The architect was A. L. Blackburne. All was demolished except for the nave walls. A grand chancel was then built at the east end, and beside it in the 1870s, an impressive tower. The top of the tower is finished in the 14th-century Suffolk manner. It sits at the east end of the north aisle. Inside, the west end of the nave has a huge window, which may possibly be the rebuilding of a previous tower arch. The north porch is the only other medieval survival which seems to have had a side sliced off it by the buttress to the north aisle. As the church is principally 19th century, so is all the stained glass.^[6]^[7]^[8]

Angels look down from the simple but effective roof. The lectern is made of brass, and the column is surrounded by angels about to take flight. The pulpit is 17th century and was brought here from the chapel at Henham Hall along with the reading desk. The font is 14th century but with a later cover. The walls are covered with memorials to the Rouses. The building is currently suffering from water damage but fundraising is continuing with the aim of reroofing. The Parish of Wangford is part of the Sole Bay Team Ministry (formed in 1999), along with the Parishes of Blythburgh, Reydon, Sotherton, South Cove, Southwold, Uggeshall and Walberswick.^[7]^[8]

The church bells of St Peter and St Paul

Wangford church has an unringable peal of five bells. Originally the bells were intended for change ringing. The bells hang in a derelict timber frame with dilapidated fittings and have not been rung for many years. The treble (the smallest) is the oldest bell in the tower, being cast by William Brend of Norwich in 1624. The following year, in 1625, the tenor (the largest) was cast at the same foundry by William & Alice Brend. The third was cast by John Darbie of Ipswich in 1668 and the fourth dates from 1721 and is by John Stephens of Norwich. The newest bell in the tower is the second which was cast by John Warner & Sons of London in 1863. This bell was recast from the metal of an earlier bell also cast by John Stephens. The precise weight of the bells is not known but the tenor is estimated to weigh between 8 and 9 hundredweight.^[9]

Notable people and connections

Reputedly, Wangford provided the inspiration for the stage name of Sam Hutt, a well-known London gynaecologist who, as Hank Wangford, also performs spoof Country and Western music.
Fred Copeman OBE, who served in the International Brigades in the Spanish Civil War and organised London's air raid defences during the Second World War, was born in Wangford Union Workhouse in 1907.

The annual Latitude Festival is held at Henham Hall Park nearby.

Photos

An aerial view of Wangford from the South East side of the village
An aerial view of Wangford from the Church Tower
An aerial view of Wangford from the Church Tower
An aerial view of Wangford from the Church Tower
An aerial view of Wangford from the Church Tower
Wangford war memorial for two American airmen killed when their republic P47 Thunderbolts collided over the village on 05-02-1944

References

^ "Population Statistics Wangford CP/AP through time". Vision of Britain. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
^ "The Waveney (Parishes) Order 1987" (PDF). Local Government Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
^ Taken from ESTIMATES OF TOTAL POPULATION OF AREAS IN SUFFOLK Archived 19 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine. 2 August 2009. Page 17.
^ "Civil Parish population 2011". Retrieved 19 September 2015.
^ John Kirby (1764). The Suffolk Traveller. London: J. Shave.
^ Taken from The Sole Bay Team Ministry. 27 January 2009.
^ ^a ^b Taken from The Suffolk Churches Site. 27 January 2009.
^ ^a ^b Taken from 'A photographic and historical guide to the Parish Churches of East Suffolk' compiled by Adrian S. Pye. 27 January 2009. Page 272
^ Taken from Doves Guide. 27 January 2009.

External links

[1] "Population Statistics Wangford CP/AP through time". Vision of Britain. Retrieved 28 February 2018.

[2] "The Waveney (Parishes) Order 1987" (PDF). Local Government Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 25 January 2020.

[ESTIMATES_OF_TOTAL_POPULATION_OF_AREAS_IN_SUFFOLK-3] Taken from ESTIMATES OF TOTAL POPULATION OF AREAS IN SUFFOLK Archived 19 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine. 2 August 2009. Page 17.

[4] "Civil Parish population 2011". Retrieved 19 September 2015.

[SufTrav-5] John Kirby (1764). The Suffolk Traveller. London: J. Shave.

[St_Peter_&_St_PaulChurch,_Wangford-6] Taken from The Sole Bay Team Ministry. 27 January 2009.

[St_Peter_&_St_Paul_Church,_Wangford-7] Taken from The Suffolk Churches Site. 27 January 2009.

[Wangford-8] Taken from 'A photographic and historical guide to the Parish Churches of East Suffolk' compiled by Adrian S. Pye. 27 January 2009. Page 272

[Wangford_SS_Peter_&_Paul-9] Taken from Doves Guide. 27 January 2009.

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v t e East Suffolk
Towns	Aldeburgh Beccles Bungay Carlton Colville Felixstowe Halesworth Kesgrave Leiston Lowestoft Orford Saxmundham Southwold Woodbridge
Civil parishes	Alderton Aldringham cum Thorpe All Saints and St Nicholas, South Elmham Badingham Barnby Barsham Bawdsey Benacre Benhall Blaxhall Blundeston Blythburgh Blyford Boulge Boyton Bramfield Brampton with Stoven Brandeston Bredfield Brightwell Bromeswell Bruisyard Bucklesham Burgh Butley Campsey Ash Capel St Andrew Charsfield Chediston Chillesford Clopton Cookley Corton Covehithe Cransford Cratfield Cretingham Culpho Dallinghoo Darsham Debach Dennington Dunwich Earl Soham Easton Ellough Eyke Falkenham Farnham Flixton (Lothingland) Flixton (the Saints) Foxhall Framlingham Friston Frostenden Gedgrave Gisleham Great Bealings Great Glemham Grundisburgh Hacheston Hasketon Hemley Henstead with Hulver Street Heveningham Hollesley Holton Hoo Huntingfield Iken Ilketshall St Andrew Ilketshall St John Ilketshall St Lawrence Ilketshall St Margaret Kettleburgh Kelsale cum Carlton Kessingland Kirton Knodishall Letheringham Levington Linstead Magna Linstead Parva Little Bealings Little Glemham Lound Marlesford Martlesham Melton Mettingham Middleton Monewden Mutford Nacton Newbourne North Cove Otley Oulton Oulton Broad Parham Peasenhall Pettistree Playford Purdis Farm Ramsholt Redisham Rendham Rendlesham Reydon (Easton Bavents) Ringsfield Rumburgh Rushmere Rushmere St Andrew Saxtead Shadingfield Shipmeadow Shottisham Sibton Snape Somerleyton, Ashby and Herringfleet Sotherton Sotterley South Cove Spexhall St Cross, South Elmham St James, South Elmham St Margaret, South Elmham St Mary, South Elmham otherwise Homersfield St Michael, South Elmham St Peter, South Elmham Sternfield Stratford St Andrew Stratton Hall Sudbourne Sutton Sutton Heath Sweffling Swilland Theberton Thorington Trimley St Martin Trimley St. Mary Tuddenham St Martin Tunstall Ubbeston Ufford Uggeshall Walberswick Waldringfield Walpole Wangford with Henham Wantisden Wenhaston with Mells Hamlet Westerfield Westhallilk Westleton Weston Wickham Market Willingham St Mary Wissett Witnesham Worlingham Wrentham Yoxford
Other settlements	Aldringham All Saints' South Elmham Ashby Brampton Carlton Eastbridge Gunton Henham Henstead Herringfleet Hulver Street Kelsale Kirkley Mells Minsmere Pakefield Sizewell Somerleyton St Nicholas South Elmham Stoven Thorpeness Walton Wangford Wenhaston
See also: Grade I listed buildings in East Suffolk District Suffolk Coastal local elections Waveney local elections 2019 East Suffolk District Council election Waveney (UK Parliament constituency)