Ashfield cum Thorpe explained

Country:England
Coordinates:52.22°N 1.23°W
Official Name:Ashfield cum Thorpe
Area Total Km2:6.39
Population:219
Population Ref:(2011 Census)[1]
Shire District:Mid Suffolk
Region:East of England
Shire County:Suffolk
Constituency Westminster:Central Suffolk and North Ipswich
Post Town:Stowmarket
Postcode District:IP14
Postcode Area:IP
Dial Code:01728
Os Grid Reference:TM210627
Static Image Name:St. Mary's church, Ashfield-cum-Thorpe, Suffolk - geograph.org.uk - 186611.jpg
Static Image Caption:St. Mary's church, Ashfield-cum-Thorpe

Ashfield cum Thorpe is a 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. The patron of St Mary's was Baron Henniker of Thornham Magna. [2] 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 paid for a new St Mary church in Ashfield. Thorpe church was rebuilt in 1739 by George Pitt, retaining its late Saxon tower.[2] Thorpe church is now in ruins, only part of the tower remaining.

The village was briefly featured in an episode of the BBC television mockumentary sitcom People Just Do Nothing.[3] Nearby villages include Earl Soham, Monk Soham, Kenton. Debenham and Framsden.

Notable residents

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Civil Parish population 2011. 16 August 2016. Office for National Statistics. Neighbourhood Statistics.
  2. Web site: Ashcombe - Ashill Pages 85-88 A Topographical Dictionary of England. Originally published by S Lewis, London, 1848. . British History Online . 14 July 2020.
  3. Web site: Ipswich ‹ Series 3 ‹ People Just Do Nothing. 2020-07-15. subsaga.com.