Wetherden

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
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townStowmarket
Postcode districtIP14

History

It 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

Buildings in the village include the Grade I listed[4] 14th century St Mary's Church,[5] a village hall, a Baptist Chapel, and a pub, The Maypole (c. 1530, a Grade II listed building).[6] The church has a mediaeval roof, contains tombs to the Sulyard family, and 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 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]

The village playing field is home to Wetherden F.C. who play in the Ipswich Sunday football league.

Notable people
  • 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
  1. "Haughley and Wetherden". UK Census Data. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  2. "Suffolk V-Z". The Domesday Book Online. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  3. "History". Wetherden Parish Council. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  4. "Church of St Mary the Virgin". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  5. "St Mary's, Wetherden". Suffolk Churches. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  6. "The Maypole Inn". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
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