Kedington Explained

Official Name:Kedington
Country:England
Region:East of England
Coordinates:52.093°N 0.487°W
Population:1,849
Population Ref:(2011)
Post Town:Haverhill
Postcode Area:CB
Postcode District:CB9
Dial Code:01440
Shire County:Suffolk
Hide Services:Yes
Static Image:Stpeterandstpaul kedington.jpg
Static Image Width:240px
Static Image Caption:Church of St Peter and St Paul, Kedington

Kedington is a village and civil parish in the West Suffolk district of Suffolk in eastern England, located between the towns of Clare and Haverhill in the south-west of Suffolk.

History

Known as Kidituna in the Domesday Book (1086), there were 280 people living there at that time. Part of it was formerly in Essex. The puritan, Thomas Barnardiston studied under Calvin in Geneva during the reign of Queen Mary I, but returned to Kedington after the accession of Queen Elizabeth I in 1558 and the consequent Elizabethan Religious Settlement.[1]

Church of St Peter and St Paul

Kedington's church, St Peter and St Paul, is one of the historical treasures of East Anglia, dating from the late 13th century. However, the church is built on top of a Roman villa, the remains of which can be viewed under small trap doors located in the pews towards the back of the nave. There is an Anglo-Saxon stone cross located above the altar on the east wall of the church. This was found near to the church and is believed to be from a church dating from Saxon times this transferred to the recent takeover of "roadmen" in the town. Kedington comes in the top rank of small English churches and is renowned for its unmodernised interior and Barnardiston tombs. John Betjeman understandably christened Kedington ' a village Westminster Abbey'.

The Anglican minister, Samuel Fairclough (1594-1677) was born nearby in Haverhill and was appointed rector in 1629. However, in 1662, following the Archbishop of Canterburypassage of the Act of Uniformity, Fairclough was ejected for non-conformity[2] and replaced by John Tillotson (1630-1694), who served in the role 1663-1664 and went on to become Archbishop of Canterbury.

Notable residents

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sir Thomas Barnardiston . geni_family_tree . Geni.com . 27 June 2022.
  2. Book: Page . Augustine . A topographical and genealogical history of the County of Suffolk . 1644 . Frederick Pawsey . Ipswich .