Halesworth
Encyclopedia
Halesworth is a small market town
(population of around 6,000) in the northeastern corner of Suffolk
, England
. It is located 15 miles (24.1 km) south west of Lowestoft
, and straddles the River Blyth
, 9 miles (14 km) upstream from Southwold
. The town is served by Halesworth railway station
on the Ipswich
-Lowestoft
East Suffolk Line
. Halesworth is twinned with both Bouchain
in France
and Eitorf
in Germany
.
A Roman settlement, Halesworth has a medieval church; St Mary's with Victorian
additions and a variety of houses, from early timber-framed buildings to the remnants of Victorian prosperity. Former almshouse
s used to house the Halesworth & District Museum (open from May to September) but this has now been moved to Halesworth railway station
. The Town Trail walk provides opportunity to discover the history of Halesworth.
Halesworth is primarily centred on a pedestrianised, shopping street known as the Thoroughfare. "Thoroughfare" is an East Anglian term for the main street of a town - what would be commonly known elsewhere in the UK as the "high street
". Each year the Thoroughfare hosts a popular food, drink and craft fair, termed the "Thoroughfair", to raise money for good causes.
Halesworth is the site of the Cut Theatre
and also hosts the "Gig in the Park" which is a showcase of local, national and international musical talent. The event was started by the Cult
's bassist Jamie Stewart
aka Jo Marshall and takes place over three days in August every year. Acts previously featured include Suzi Quattro, the Stranglers
, the Beat
, the Selecter
and the Buzzcocks
. The Jungle Tent features up and coming bands and DJs. It also features Stadium Rockers Frontbum.
Halesworth has the largest Millennium Green
in the UK with around 44 acres (178,061.8 m²) of grazing marsh providing a haven for wildlife close to the town centre. The rivers in this area are home to heron
s, kingfisher
s and otter
s.
Nearby villages include Cratfield
, Wissett
, Chediston
, Walpole
, Blyford
, Linstead Parva
, Wenhaston
, Thorington
, Spexhall
and Bramfield
.
The village of Holton
is 1 miles (1.6 km) away with a large open space for walking called Holton Pits.
s. A 5 guinea
banknote, issued by the Suffolk and Halesworth Bank in 1799, has recently been recovered.
In the early 16th century the Angel Hotel was built and held a position of importance as the post house, coaching inn
and main meeting place for townsfolk.
Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker the famous botanist and traveller; born June 30, 1817 - died December 10, 1911. Hooker House, now a dental surgery, is named after him.
His widow declined the proposal of a burial of his body in Westminster Abbey
alongside Charles Darwin
.
In 1862 the only murder was recorded, Ebenezer Tye (died 25 November 1862, aged 24) was a policeman who was trying to stop a burglary
in Chediston Street. However he was beaten to death and is now buried in Halesworth Cemetery. The murderer, John Ducker, was caught and was the last person to be publicly hanged in Suffolk.
In 1862 the Rifle Hall was presented to the town by the family of a late captain of the rifle corps, Andrew Johnston. It is so called because it was used as a drill hall
by the rifle corps. The hall was originally built in 1792 as a theatre and was used from 1812-44 by the theatre manager David Fisher. He owned an itinerant theatre group which travelled a circuit of theatres in East Anglia
(including the Fisher Theatre in Bungay
which has now been fully restored). It would take the company two years to complete the circuit travelling with their costumes, props and sets and publicising their plays as they went. They were highly successful with strong links with the London
stage and the acting circle.
Chediston Street was originally the site of many pubs and small breweries. The ghost of Squire Baker is reputed to haunt this street. He is renowned for throwing the vicar down the stairs and breaking his legs. There is also a heavy-footed ghost that walks into a house and clumps noisily through to the other side.
Quay Street takes its name from the original town quay. In the middle of the 18th century the river was made navigable from Halesworth to Southwold
. A new brick lock was made at Halesworth and new cuts were dug. The first keel arrived from Southwold in 1761, laden with coal
, shortening the journey of the cargo considerably. Part of the old navigation
can be seen in the Town Park.
The Town Park was created by Donald Newby (Chairman of Halesworth UDC 1970-71) with the help of Lady Rugby who donated some of the land.
1822-31 - the Reverend Richard Whatley is Rector of Halesworth, living in the Rectory, Rectory Lane. He is a renowned and outspoken academic vociferously opposed to slavery. He left Halesworth to become Archbishop of Dublin
. One of his descendants is the actor Kevin Whately
.
Excavations outside the White Hart pub in 1991 discovered part of a causeway - probably dating from the late Saxon
period. A piece of oak pile from these excavations is in the Halesworth & District Museum.
There are fine examples of 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th century buildings in the Thoroughfare.
Number 8 is a former ironmonger's. This shop belonged to the grandfather of Sir David Frost
and the name of William Frost can still be seen underneath the archway next to the shop. The Thoroughfare is home to many specialist shops and cafes as well as playing host to events throughout the year.
Number 6, thought to be 14th century and sometimes referred to as Dame Margery's, is believed to have been the home of Margaret de Argentein. The beam over the main doorway would have included the Argentein coat of arms
Number 14 is thought to have been the early home of George Lansbury
- leader of the Labour Party
from 1931 to 1935. His granddaughter is the well-known actress Angela Lansbury
.
A block of four shops next to this was originally built in 1474 as the Guildhall. This was the home of the Guild of St John the Baptist and Guild of St Love and St Anthony. The original line of the building can be seen.
20th century renovations discovered a mummified cat in the foundations. It was replaced when the work was completed. A similar mummified cat can be found at the Halesworth Museum. This cat came from one of the maltings in the town. The mummified cats were placed to ward off rats and mice from the grain, or bring good luck
A short distance to the east of the actual town lies the Second World War airfield of Halesworth. The airfield was begun in 1943. Initially the 56th Fighter Group of the United States 8th Army Air Force were stationed there. Later in 1944 it became the base of the 489th Bomb Group flying B24 Liberators. They played a full part in the build up to and during D-Day
on 6 June 1944. From July they switched to strategic offensive bombing until November, when they ceased operations to return to America.
Between January and June in 1945 the 5th Emergency Rescue Squadron operated from the base flying war weary P47s and B17s. Their mission was to carry dinghies and smoke markers to aid downed crews found at sea.
The airfield closed for flying in February 1946. Today the airfield is owned by Bernard Matthews
and while it is still closed for flying except by the turkeys, there is an interesting and well laid out museum staffed by locals who help to keep the memories of those it hosted, alive.
and Lowestoft
. It is the best unstaffed railway station for 2004 and 2005. Services are available to Lowestoft and London and are run by National Express East Anglia. See Halesworth railway station
.
1854 - the railway arrives in Halesworth.
1859 - the station moves to its present position as the line is extended to Lowestoft.
1888 - the moveable platform is installed (renewed in 1922 and restored in 1999) This ingenious device is one of only a handful in the UK. As trains became longer they needed longer platforms. This device allowed the platforms to be extended across the adjacent level crossing. The moveable platform sections could be swung to one side to open the road for traffic.
1958 - Norwich Road railway bridge opens providing an alternative to the level crossing by the station with its moveable platform gates.
From 24 September 1879 until 11 April 1929 there was a line
from Halesworth to Southwold
. There were plans by the Southwold Railway Society
to revive the railway, partly on the original track and partly on new formation, but these have now been abandoned in favour of a Railway Park, to be situated at Southwold.
of 1086 recording Ulf the priest to be in charge of the parish.
The present church is essentially early 15th century - with outer aisles built and restoration taking place in the late 19th century. At the time of the restoration, some evidence was uncovered of a round-tower church
on the site. The carved Danestones in the church are now believed to be early Norman
in date. They were found in the church during the 19th century and could be part of a cross shaft. They depict hands clutching foliage or tails. Their original location is unknown, but undoubtedly pre-date anything now visible in the present church.
Still an active parish church, the present building suffered from a failed re-ordering in the 1990s. At 2010, work is beginning to fund a major restoration project to enable both contemporary worship and enhanced community use.
St Mary's is part of the Blyth Valley Team Ministry of eleven parishes. The Reverend Edward Rennard was inducted as Team Rector in 2000.
A major item of interest is the statue of the Madonna and Child in the Lady Chapel
, fashioned from driftwood by Peter Eugene Ball
.
Tall railings once surrounded the churchyard
. This provided protection from sheep and cattle being driven through on market day. This was known as Monkey Walk.
On Palm Sunday
each year, there is an ecumenical procession from the library, through the Thoroughfare to St Mary's Church.
Presently there are 4 public houses, the White Hart, the Angel, the White Swan & the Triple Plea. There is also the Halesworth Social Club which is a members' club.
United does lead to some entertaining nights around the town. Both teams are currently in Division 1 of the Ipswich Based SIL league format
Cricket wise, Halesworth Cricket Club folded. But In 2005 A small group of Halesworthians founded the new breed of cricket club, Halesworth Pumas http://www.myspace.com/hpcc, who have managed to build a club from nothing, In 2006 the Pumas recorded just one loss, which was against a select XI, 2007 season started strongly, after 4 games 3 victories had been attained, the 4th game mentioned being a very close affair at Southwold. One more win was recorded, 2008 was a transition year, with no home ground. But 2009 saw a move to Ringsfield and from 14 matches home and away the team had 7 wins 6 losses and 1 unfinished match, 2010 will also be at Ringsfield as the community welcomed the club so warmly. The teams slogan "hit out or get out" is very much a mantra to the teams style of play and is emblazoned on the trademark wristbands worn by all players, associates and "W.A.G.S."
being lit up. There are stalls in the Thoroughfare and people dancing with a special visit from Father Christmas
who gives the children presents. A Christingle Service is held in St Mary's Church at 4.00pm every Christmas Eve with a Midnight Mass at 11.30pm.
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
(population of around 6,000) in the northeastern corner 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...
. It is located 15 miles (24.1 km) south west of Lowestoft
Lowestoft
Lowestoft is a town in the English county of Suffolk. The town is on the North Sea coast and is the most easterly point of the United Kingdom. It is north-east of London, north-east of Ipswich and south-east of Norwich...
, and straddles the River Blyth
River Blyth, Suffolk
The River Blyth is a river in Suffolk, England, with a tidal estuary between Southwold and Walberswick.It can be crossed by pedestrians by a public footbridge called the Bailey Bridge about a mile upstream from the sea or by the Walberswick rowing boat ferry between 9am-5pm daily.The estuary mouth...
, 9 miles (14 km) upstream from 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...
. The town is served by Halesworth railway station
Halesworth railway station
Halesworth is a railway station serving the town of Halesworth in Suffolk. The station is located on the Ipswich-Lowestoft East Suffolk Line.It is the nearest station to the town of Southwold, although some passengers from Southwold prefer to use Darsham station.The station is served by National...
on the Ipswich
Ipswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
-Lowestoft
Lowestoft
Lowestoft is a town in the English county of Suffolk. The town is on the North Sea coast and is the most easterly point of the United Kingdom. It is north-east of London, north-east of Ipswich and south-east of Norwich...
East Suffolk Line
East Suffolk Line
The East Suffolk Line is an un-electrified secondary railway line running between Ipswich and Lowestoft in Suffolk, England. The traffic along the route consists of passenger services operated by National Express East Anglia, while nuclear flask trains for the Sizewell nuclear power stations are...
. Halesworth is twinned with both Bouchain
Bouchain
Bouchain is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It lies halfway between Cambrai and Valenciennes. Bouchain is a former part of the County of Hainaut.-Heraldry:-References:* Halesworth and Eitorf are twinned with Bouchain....
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Eitorf
Eitorf
Eitorf is a municipality in the Rhein-Sieg district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is situated on the river Sieg, approx. 25 km east of Bonn....
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
A Roman settlement, Halesworth has a medieval church; St Mary's with Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
additions and a variety of houses, from early timber-framed buildings to the remnants of Victorian prosperity. Former almshouse
Almshouse
Almshouses are charitable housing provided to enable people to live in a particular community...
s used to house the Halesworth & District Museum (open from May to September) but this has now been moved to Halesworth railway station
Halesworth railway station
Halesworth is a railway station serving the town of Halesworth in Suffolk. The station is located on the Ipswich-Lowestoft East Suffolk Line.It is the nearest station to the town of Southwold, although some passengers from Southwold prefer to use Darsham station.The station is served by National...
. The Town Trail walk provides opportunity to discover the history of Halesworth.
Halesworth is primarily centred on a pedestrianised, shopping street known as the Thoroughfare. "Thoroughfare" is an East Anglian term for the main street of a town - what would be commonly known elsewhere in the UK as the "high street
High Street
High Street, or the High Street, is a metonym for the generic name of the primary business street of towns or cities, especially in the United Kingdom. It is usually a focal point for shops and retailers in city centres, and is most often used in reference to retailing...
". Each year the Thoroughfare hosts a popular food, drink and craft fair, termed the "Thoroughfair", to raise money for good causes.
Halesworth is the site of the Cut Theatre
The Cut (theatre)
The Cut is a theatre building in the Suffolk town of Halesworth. It is a centre for arts in the community, offers arts, music, theatre, dance, comedy, cinema, workshops and art exhibitions to the local area and houses Halesworth's New Cut Arts...
and also hosts the "Gig in the Park" which is a showcase of local, national and international musical talent. The event was started by the Cult
The Cult
The Cult are a British rock band that was formed in 1983. They gained a dedicated following in Britain in the mid 1980s as a post-punk band with singles such as "She Sells Sanctuary", before breaking mainstream in the United States in the late 1980s as a hard rock band with singles such as "Love...
's bassist Jamie Stewart
Jamie Stewart (The Cult)
Jamie Stewart was bassist of the 1980s British post-punk/hard rock group The Cult. He played bass guitar and keyboards on each of The Cult's first four albums and rhythm guitar on tour in 1987.After leaving The Cult, Stewart worked as a record producer in Canada...
aka Jo Marshall and takes place over three days in August every year. Acts previously featured include Suzi Quattro, the Stranglers
The Stranglers
The Stranglers are an English punk/rock music group.Scoring some 23 UK top 40 singles and 17 UK top 40 albums to date in a career spanning five decades, the Stranglers are the longest-surviving and most "continuously successful" band to have originated in the UK punk scene of the mid to late 1970s...
, the Beat
The Beat (band)
The Beat are a 2 Tone ska revival band founded in England in 1978. Their songs fuse ska, pop, soul, reggae and punk rock, and their lyrics deal with themes of love, unity and sociopolitical topics....
, the Selecter
The Selecter
The Selecter are a 2 Tone ska revival band from Coventry, England, formed in mid 1979.Like many other bands in the ska revival movement, The Selecter featured a racially diverse line-up. Their lyrics featured themes connected to politics and marijuana, set to strong melodies and a danceable beat...
and the Buzzcocks
Buzzcocks
Buzzcocks are an English punk rock band formed in Bolton in 1976, led by singer–songwriter–guitarist Pete Shelley.They are regarded as an important influence on the Manchester music scene, the independent record label movement, punk rock, power pop, pop punk and indie rock. They achieved commercial...
. The Jungle Tent features up and coming bands and DJs. It also features Stadium Rockers Frontbum.
Halesworth has the largest Millennium Green
Millennium Green
245 Millennium Greens were created in cities, towns and villages across England to celebrate the turn of the Millennium. Funded in part by the National Lottery via the Countryside Agency, they are permanent areas of green space for the benefit of local communities...
in the UK with around 44 acres (178,061.8 m²) of grazing marsh providing a haven for wildlife close to the town centre. The rivers in this area are home to heron
Heron
The herons are long-legged freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae. There are 64 recognised species in this family. Some are called "egrets" or "bitterns" instead of "heron"....
s, kingfisher
Kingfisher
Kingfishers are a group of small to medium sized brightly coloured birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species being found in the Old World and Australia...
s and otter
Otter
The Otters are twelve species of semi-aquatic mammals which feed on fish and shellfish, and also other invertebrates, amphibians, birds and small mammals....
s.
Nearby villages include Cratfield
Cratfield
Cratfield is a village in northern Suffolk, England.Neighbouring villages include Laxfield, Metfield, Cookley, Huntingfield, Heveningham. The nearest town, Halesworth, is approximately 5 miles away. Southwold is a popular, nearby coastal town. The market town of Framlingham is also close...
, Wissett
Wissett
Wissett is a village and parish in the Waveney district of Suffolk, England located at 52.35N 01.46E TM3679 about 2 km northwest of Halesworth. Historically, it was in the hundred of Blything. It has a population of about 200....
, Chediston
Chediston
Chediston is a village and a civil parish on the B1123 road, in the Suffolk Coastal District, in the English county of Suffolk. It is 2 miles W. of Halesworth, its post town. Chediston has a church...
, Walpole
Walpole, Suffolk
Walpole is a village and a parish in Suffolk, England. Walpole has a chapel called Walpole Old Chapel and a primary school called Cookley and Walpole CEVC Primary School. The village is on the River Blyth. Nearby settlements include the town of Halesworth and the village of Cookley. It is in the...
, Blyford
Blyford
Blyford is a village and civil parish in the Waveney district of Suffolk, England, about east of Halesworth and separated from Wenhaston by the River Blyth, Suffolk to the south.Not to be confused with...
, Linstead Parva
Linstead Parva
Linstead Parva is a small village and civil parish in the Suffolk Coastal district of Suffolk in eastern England. In 2005 its population was 90, making it larger than neighbouring Linstead Magna. It shares a parish council with Linstead Magna and nearby Chediston.-External links:*...
, Wenhaston
Wenhaston
Wenhaston is a small village of 818 people situated to the south of the River Blyth in northeastern Suffolk, England. Roman coins, pottery and building materials unearthed in local fields indicate the existence of a settlement at Wenhaston from the 1st century AD, and indeed this was probably a...
, Thorington
Thorington
Thorington is a village and a civil parish in the in the hundred of Blything, in the Suffolk Coastal District, in the English county of Suffolk. For transport there is the A12 road nearby. Nearby settlements include the town of Halesworth and the villages of Wenhaston and Blackheath...
, Spexhall
Spexhall
Spexhall is a village in the north east corner of the English county of Suffolk. It has a few basic services, including a village hall and a parish church, which was originally built as a cell of Rumburgh Priory.-External links:* * *...
and Bramfield
Bramfield, Suffolk
Bramfield is a small village in the county of Suffolk, England. The village is found off the A12 road, one of the main arterial routes through the county....
.
The village of Holton
Holton, Suffolk
Holton, in Suffolk, England, is a village near to the town of Halesworth with a population of around 1,100. Holton is split into two parts, Upper Holton and Holton.-History:Although it often referred to as Holton St...
is 1 miles (1.6 km) away with a large open space for walking called Holton Pits.
History
A Halesworth bank used to issue its own banknoteBanknote
A banknote is a kind of negotiable instrument, a promissory note made by a bank payable to the bearer on demand, used as money, and in many jurisdictions is legal tender. In addition to coins, banknotes make up the cash or bearer forms of all modern fiat money...
s. A 5 guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
banknote, issued by the Suffolk and Halesworth Bank in 1799, has recently been recovered.
In the early 16th century the Angel Hotel was built and held a position of importance as the post house, coaching inn
Coaching inn
In Europe, from approximately the mid-17th century for a period of about 200 years, the coaching inn, sometimes called a coaching house or staging inn, was a vital part of the inland transport infrastructure, as an inn serving coach travelers...
and main meeting place for townsfolk.
Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker the famous botanist and traveller; born June 30, 1817 - died December 10, 1911. Hooker House, now a dental surgery, is named after him.
His widow declined the proposal of a burial of his body in Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
alongside Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
.
In 1862 the only murder was recorded, Ebenezer Tye (died 25 November 1862, aged 24) was a policeman who was trying to stop a burglary
Burglary
Burglary is a crime, the essence of which is illicit entry into a building for the purposes of committing an offense. Usually that offense will be theft, but most jurisdictions specify others which fall within the ambit of burglary...
in Chediston Street. However he was beaten to death and is now buried in Halesworth Cemetery. The murderer, John Ducker, was caught and was the last person to be publicly hanged in Suffolk.
In 1862 the Rifle Hall was presented to the town by the family of a late captain of the rifle corps, Andrew Johnston. It is so called because it was used as a drill hall
Drill hall
A drill hall is a place such as a building or a hangar where soldiers practice and perform military drill. In the United Kingdom and Commonwealth, the term was also used for the whole headquarters building of a military reserve unit, which usually incorporated such a hall...
by the rifle corps. The hall was originally built in 1792 as a theatre and was used from 1812-44 by the theatre manager David Fisher. He owned an itinerant theatre group which travelled a circuit of theatres in East Anglia
East Anglia
East Anglia is a traditional name for a region of eastern England, named after an ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom, the Kingdom of the East Angles. The Angles took their name from their homeland Angeln, in northern Germany. East Anglia initially consisted of Norfolk and Suffolk, but upon the marriage of...
(including the Fisher Theatre in Bungay
Bungay
Bungay is a town in Suffolk, East Anglia, England.Bungay may also refer to:* Bungay railway station* Frank Bungay , former professional footballer* Stephen Bungay , British management consultant, historian and author...
which has now been fully restored). It would take the company two years to complete the circuit travelling with their costumes, props and sets and publicising their plays as they went. They were highly successful with strong links with the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
stage and the acting circle.
Chediston Street was originally the site of many pubs and small breweries. The ghost of Squire Baker is reputed to haunt this street. He is renowned for throwing the vicar down the stairs and breaking his legs. There is also a heavy-footed ghost that walks into a house and clumps noisily through to the other side.
Quay Street takes its name from the original town quay. In the middle of the 18th century the river was made navigable from Halesworth to 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...
. A new brick lock was made at Halesworth and new cuts were dug. The first keel arrived from Southwold in 1761, laden with coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
, shortening the journey of the cargo considerably. Part of the old navigation
Navigation
Navigation is the process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another. It is also the term of art used for the specialized knowledge used by navigators to perform navigation tasks...
can be seen in the Town Park.
The Town Park was created by Donald Newby (Chairman of Halesworth UDC 1970-71) with the help of Lady Rugby who donated some of the land.
1822-31 - the Reverend Richard Whatley is Rector of Halesworth, living in the Rectory, Rectory Lane. He is a renowned and outspoken academic vociferously opposed to slavery. He left Halesworth to become Archbishop of Dublin
Archbishop of Dublin
The Archbishop of Dublin may refer to:* Archbishop of Dublin – an article which lists of pre- and post-Reformation archbishops.* Archbishop of Dublin – the title of the senior cleric who presides over the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin....
. One of his descendants is the actor Kevin Whately
Kevin Whately
Kevin Whately is an English actor.Whately is known for his starring role as Neville Hope in the British television comedy Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, his role as Dr Jack Kerruish in the drama series Peak Practice, and as Robert "Robbie" Lewis in the crime dramas Inspector Morse and...
.
The Thoroughfare
Prior to 1300 much of this area was a flood plainExcavations outside the White Hart pub in 1991 discovered part of a causeway - probably dating from the late Saxon
Saxons
The Saxons were a confederation of Germanic tribes originating on the North German plain. The Saxons earliest known area of settlement is Northern Albingia, an area approximately that of modern Holstein...
period. A piece of oak pile from these excavations is in the Halesworth & District Museum.
There are fine examples of 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th century buildings in the Thoroughfare.
Number 8 is a former ironmonger's. This shop belonged to the grandfather of Sir David Frost
David Frost
Sir David Frost is a British broadcaster.David Frost may also refer to:*David Frost , South African golfer*David Frost , classical record producer*David Frost *Dave Frost, baseball pitcher...
and the name of William Frost can still be seen underneath the archway next to the shop. The Thoroughfare is home to many specialist shops and cafes as well as playing host to events throughout the year.
Number 6, thought to be 14th century and sometimes referred to as Dame Margery's, is believed to have been the home of Margaret de Argentein. The beam over the main doorway would have included the Argentein coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
Number 14 is thought to have been the early home of George Lansbury
George Lansbury
George Lansbury was a British politician, socialist, Christian pacifist and newspaper editor. He was a Member of Parliament from 1910 to 1912 and from 1922 to 1940, and leader of the Labour Party from 1932 to 1935....
- leader of the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
from 1931 to 1935. His granddaughter is the well-known actress Angela Lansbury
Angela Lansbury
Angela Brigid Lansbury CBE is an English actress and singer in theatre, television and motion pictures, whose career has spanned eight decades and earned her more performance Tony Awards than any other individual , with five wins...
.
A block of four shops next to this was originally built in 1474 as the Guildhall. This was the home of the Guild of St John the Baptist and Guild of St Love and St Anthony. The original line of the building can be seen.
20th century renovations discovered a mummified cat in the foundations. It was replaced when the work was completed. A similar mummified cat can be found at the Halesworth Museum. This cat came from one of the maltings in the town. The mummified cats were placed to ward off rats and mice from the grain, or bring good luck
A short distance to the east of the actual town lies the Second World War airfield of Halesworth. The airfield was begun in 1943. Initially the 56th Fighter Group of the United States 8th Army Air Force were stationed there. Later in 1944 it became the base of the 489th Bomb Group flying B24 Liberators. They played a full part in the build up to and during D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
on 6 June 1944. From July they switched to strategic offensive bombing until November, when they ceased operations to return to America.
Between January and June in 1945 the 5th Emergency Rescue Squadron operated from the base flying war weary P47s and B17s. Their mission was to carry dinghies and smoke markers to aid downed crews found at sea.
The airfield closed for flying in February 1946. Today the airfield is owned by Bernard Matthews
Bernard Matthews
Bernard Matthews Farms Ltd is a British farming and food products business, which specialises in the farming of turkeys. Founded by Bernard Matthews in 1950, as Bernard Matthews Foods Ltd, the company is headquartered in Norwich, Norfolk, England, and has 56 farms throughout Norfolk, Suffolk and...
and while it is still closed for flying except by the turkeys, there is an interesting and well laid out museum staffed by locals who help to keep the memories of those it hosted, alive.
Railway
The Halesworth railway is connected to IpswichIpswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
and Lowestoft
Lowestoft
Lowestoft is a town in the English county of Suffolk. The town is on the North Sea coast and is the most easterly point of the United Kingdom. It is north-east of London, north-east of Ipswich and south-east of Norwich...
. It is the best unstaffed railway station for 2004 and 2005. Services are available to Lowestoft and London and are run by National Express East Anglia. See Halesworth railway station
Halesworth railway station
Halesworth is a railway station serving the town of Halesworth in Suffolk. The station is located on the Ipswich-Lowestoft East Suffolk Line.It is the nearest station to the town of Southwold, although some passengers from Southwold prefer to use Darsham station.The station is served by National...
.
1854 - the railway arrives in Halesworth.
1859 - the station moves to its present position as the line is extended to Lowestoft.
1888 - the moveable platform is installed (renewed in 1922 and restored in 1999) This ingenious device is one of only a handful in the UK. As trains became longer they needed longer platforms. This device allowed the platforms to be extended across the adjacent level crossing. The moveable platform sections could be swung to one side to open the road for traffic.
1958 - Norwich Road railway bridge opens providing an alternative to the level crossing by the station with its moveable platform gates.
From 24 September 1879 until 11 April 1929 there was a line
Southwold Railway
- External links :* * * *...
from Halesworth to 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...
. There were plans by the Southwold Railway Society
Southwold Railway
- External links :* * * *...
to revive the railway, partly on the original track and partly on new formation, but these have now been abandoned in favour of a Railway Park, to be situated at Southwold.
St Mary's Church
There has probably been a church on the site of St Mary's, Halesworth since Saxon times. Halesworth is mentioned in the Domesday BookDomesday 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...
of 1086 recording Ulf the priest to be in charge of the parish.
The present church is essentially early 15th century - with outer aisles built and restoration taking place in the late 19th century. At the time of the restoration, some evidence was uncovered of a round-tower church
Round-tower church
Round-tower churches are a type of church found mainly in England, almost solely in East Anglia; of about 185 surviving examples in the country, 124 are in Norfolk, 38 in Suffolk, 6 in Essex, 3 in Sussex and 2 each in Cambridgeshire and Berkshire. There is evidence of about twenty round-tower...
on the site. The carved Danestones in the church are now believed to be early Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
in date. They were found in the church during the 19th century and could be part of a cross shaft. They depict hands clutching foliage or tails. Their original location is unknown, but undoubtedly pre-date anything now visible in the present church.
Still an active parish church, the present building suffered from a failed re-ordering in the 1990s. At 2010, work is beginning to fund a major restoration project to enable both contemporary worship and enhanced community use.
St Mary's is part of the Blyth Valley Team Ministry of eleven parishes. The Reverend Edward Rennard was inducted as Team Rector in 2000.
A major item of interest is the statue of the Madonna and Child in the Lady Chapel
Lady chapel
A Lady chapel, also called Mary chapel or Marian chapel, is a traditional English term for a chapel inside a cathedral, basilica, or large church dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary...
, fashioned from driftwood by Peter Eugene Ball
Peter Eugene Ball
Peter Eugene Ball is an English sculptor. He is best known for his religious work which can be seen in churches and cathedrals throughout Britain...
.
Tall railings once surrounded the churchyard
Churchyard
A churchyard is a patch of land adjoining or surrounding a church which is usually owned by the relevant church or local parish itself. In the Scots language or Northern English language this can also be known as a kirkyard or kirkyaird....
. This provided protection from sheep and cattle being driven through on market day. This was known as Monkey Walk.
On Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday is a Christian moveable feast that falls on the Sunday before Easter. The feast commemorates Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, an event mentioned in all four Canonical Gospels. ....
each year, there is an ecumenical procession from the library, through the Thoroughfare to St Mary's Church.
Pubs
There are historical records of some 30 pubs in Halesworth.Presently there are 4 public houses, the White Hart, the Angel, the White Swan & the Triple Plea. There is also the Halesworth Social Club which is a members' club.
Sports
In the sporting stakes, Halesworth is quite limited in facilities, although Halesworth Town Football Club, who reside at Dairy Hill have had limited success in recent years, their rivalry with WenhastonWenhaston
Wenhaston is a small village of 818 people situated to the south of the River Blyth in northeastern Suffolk, England. Roman coins, pottery and building materials unearthed in local fields indicate the existence of a settlement at Wenhaston from the 1st century AD, and indeed this was probably a...
United does lead to some entertaining nights around the town. Both teams are currently in Division 1 of the Ipswich Based SIL league format
Cricket wise, Halesworth Cricket Club folded. But In 2005 A small group of Halesworthians founded the new breed of cricket club, Halesworth Pumas http://www.myspace.com/hpcc, who have managed to build a club from nothing, In 2006 the Pumas recorded just one loss, which was against a select XI, 2007 season started strongly, after 4 games 3 victories had been attained, the 4th game mentioned being a very close affair at Southwold. One more win was recorded, 2008 was a transition year, with no home ground. But 2009 saw a move to Ringsfield and from 14 matches home and away the team had 7 wins 6 losses and 1 unfinished match, 2010 will also be at Ringsfield as the community welcomed the club so warmly. The teams slogan "hit out or get out" is very much a mantra to the teams style of play and is emblazoned on the trademark wristbands worn by all players, associates and "W.A.G.S."
Christmas
Every year the lights are switched on in the Thoroughfare and then people gather near St Mary's to see the Christmas treeChristmas tree
The Christmas tree is a decorated evergreen coniferous tree, real or artificial, and a tradition associated with the celebration of Christmas. The tradition of decorating an evergreen tree at Christmas started in Livonia and Germany in the 16th century...
being lit up. There are stalls in the Thoroughfare and people dancing with a special visit from Father Christmas
Father Christmas
Father Christmas is the name used in many English-speaking countries for a figure associated with Christmas. A similar figure with the same name exists in several other countries, including France , Spain , Brazil , Portugal , Italy , Armenia , India...
who gives the children presents. A Christingle Service is held in St Mary's Church at 4.00pm every Christmas Eve with a Midnight Mass at 11.30pm.