Ashfield cum Thorpe
Encyclopedia
Ashfield cum Thorpe is a village and civil parish
in the Mid Suffolk
district of Suffolk
, England
, between the town of Framlingham
to the East and the village of Debenham
to the West.
It is of Anglo-Saxon
origin and is mentioned in the Domesday Book
, when it had a population of around 45 adult men (and total population probably similar to the current figure). It has a church and a village hall, and used to have a school, a pub and two shops. Some of the houses in the village date back to the 15th century.
The name "Ashfield cum Thorpe" (Ashfield with Thorpe) refers to the civil parish
, which consists of the village of Ashfield and the nearby hamlet of Thorpe. The church of St Mary existed in Ashfield at the time of the Domesday Book
, and at some time after, St Peter's church was built at Thorpe. This latter fell into ruins by around 1600, and the church at Ashfield was used by both sets of villagers. Thorpe church was rebuilt in 1739, retaining its late Saxon tower. By the late 18th Century, Ashfield church was in disrepair, and it was the turn of Ashfield villages to use Thorpe church. This went on until 1853, when Lord Henniker of Thornham Magna
paid for a new St Mary church in Ashfield. Alas, Thorpe church is now in ruins, only part of the tower remaining.
Nearby villages include Earl Soham, Monk Soham, Kenton, Debenham and Framsden.
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 Mid Suffolk
Mid Suffolk
Mid Suffolk is a local government district in Suffolk, England. Its council is based in Needham Market, and the largest town is Stowmarket.The district was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of the Borough of Eye, Stowmarket urban district, Gipping Rural District, Hartismere Rural District and...
district 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...
, England
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...
, between the town of Framlingham
Framlingham
Framlingham is a market town and civil parish in the Suffolk Coastal District of Suffolk, England. Commonly referred to as "Fram" by the locals, it is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is mentioned in the Domesday Book. It has a population of 3,114 at the 2001 census...
to the East and the village of Debenham
Debenham
Debenham is a large village and civil parish in the Mid Suffolk district of Suffolk in Eastern England. In the 2001 census the population recorded was 1,728...
to the West.
It is of Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
origin and is mentioned in the Domesday Book
Domesday 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...
, when it had a population of around 45 adult men (and total population probably similar to the current figure). It has a church and a village hall, and used to have a school, a pub and two shops. Some of the houses in the village date back to the 15th century.
The name "Ashfield cum Thorpe" (Ashfield with Thorpe) refers to the civil parish
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...
, which consists of the village of Ashfield and the nearby hamlet of Thorpe. The church of St Mary existed in Ashfield at the time of the Domesday Book
Domesday 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...
, and at some time after, St Peter's church was built at Thorpe. This latter fell into ruins by around 1600, and the church at Ashfield was used by both sets of villagers. Thorpe church was rebuilt in 1739, retaining its late Saxon tower. By the late 18th Century, Ashfield church was in disrepair, and it was the turn of Ashfield villages to use Thorpe church. This went on until 1853, when Lord Henniker of Thornham Magna
Thornham Magna
Thornham Magna is the sister village of Thornham Parva, about 3.5 miles from Eye, Suffolk and close to the A140 main road from Norwich to Ipswich, the county towns of Norfolk and Suffolk....
paid for a new St Mary church in Ashfield. Alas, Thorpe church is now in ruins, only part of the tower remaining.
Nearby villages include Earl Soham, Monk Soham, Kenton, Debenham and Framsden.