The Grand Henham Steam Rally is held annually at the end of September at Henham Park

Henham Park

Henham Park is an estate just north of the village of Blythburgh in Suffolk, England. It lies at the intersection of the A12 and A145 main roads. The current owner is Keith Rous, The Sixth Earl of Stradbroke, ‘The Aussie Earl’.-History:...

, near Southwold

Southwold

Southwold is a town on the North Sea coast, in the Waveney district of the English county of Suffolk. It is located on the North Sea coast at the mouth of the River Blyth within the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The town is around south of Lowestoft and north-east...

, in the English

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...

 county 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...

. It attracts a large number of exhibitors; including tractors, cars, army vehicles, fire engines, lorries and of course, steam engines.
The 1975 Rally attracted approximately 200 entries whereas the current Rallies can have over 1200 entries

History

The Henham Steam Rally really started two years before it was first held at Henham. It was first held at Lower Green Farm, Sotterley

Sotterley

Sotterley, originally Southern-lea from its situation south of the river, is a parish in the English county of Suffolk, located approximately south-east of Beccles and east of Willingham St Mary and Shadingfield. The parish is primarily agricultural with a dispersed population of 110...

; where there was a small Steam Fair organised by Len Murray. There was another similar event held a year later in Brampton

Brampton, Suffolk

Brampton is a village in Suffolk, England, located approximately four miles north east of Halesworth, five miles south of Beccles and nine miles south west of Lowestoft. The mid-2005 population estimate for Brampton with Stoven parish was 460...

. These events lacked space and it was obvious that more land and more people were needed to run the rally.

Thanks to the 4th Earl of Stradbroke

Earl of Stradbroke

Earl of Stradbroke, in the County of Suffolk, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1821 for John Rous, 1st Baron Rous, who had earlier represented Suffolk in the House of Commons...

 the rally moved to the High Lodge area in Henham Park. The Earl also helped with funds. The main organisations involved with running the Rally are the Parochial Church Councils of Wangford-cum-Henham, Uggeshall

Uggeshall

Uggeshall is a village in Suffolk, England, located approximately 6 miles south of Beccles and 4 miles north east of Halesworth close to the A145. The mid-2005 population estimate for Uggeshall parish was 170. Sotherton is located just to the south-west, Wangford to the south-east and Brampton...

 & Sotherton; Wangford

Wangford

Wangford is a village in 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...

 Community Council and Southwold (Sole Bay) Lions Club. They are supported by a group of volunteers and organisations who provide much needed help.

In its history at Henham, the Rally has only moved elsewhere four times.
One very wet year the Rally had to be held at Sibton

Sibton

Sibton is a village and a civil parish on the A1120 road, in the Suffolk Coastal District, in the English county of Suffolk. It is near the towns of Saxmundham and Halesworth, the village of Peasenhall and the hamlet of Sibton Green...

 park near Yoxford

Yoxford

Yoxford is a village in the east of Suffolk, England close to the Heritage Coast, Minsmere Reserve , Aldeburgh and Southwold.-Location and features:...

.
The 2001 Rally had to be held in a stubble field in Brampton due to the Foot & Mouth problems; Henham park being home to many sheep and cattle.
In 2003 the rally was held at the Royal Norfolk Show

Royal Norfolk Show

The Royal Norfolk Show is an annual agricultural show, and is held by the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association. It is the largest 2 day agricultural show in England, and has been held almost every year since 1847. Shows were not held in 1866, 1911, 1934 and 1957...

 Ground which made it easy lay out. Numbers of visitors were high as well.
The 2004 Rally was held in Benacre Park.