Weston, Suffolk

History

The village is named in the Domesday Book as Westuna and formed part of the William the Conqueror's estate, with land also being held by Roger Bigot, Hugh de Montfort and Geoffrey de Mandeville. The village, which formed part of the Hundred of Wangford, had a population of around 30 families and paid around 2 geld in taxation.

The manor passed through many hands, including, in the reign of Henry I, the Lord Chancellor William Longchamp. Weston Hall was built in the late 16th century for the Rede family and partly demolished following a fire in 1821. The population of the parish was 211 in 1841, rising to 261 in 1871 and remaining at around that level until after the second world war.

The church of St Peter

The main body of the church is Norman in origin, built of local flint and mainly dating from the 12th century. It has a square 15th-century tower and 15th-century porch with a 13th-century chancel and doorway to the nave. Suckling describes the church as "in a wretched state of repair and neglect" in 1846, at which time it was thatched. The building was restored in the 1860s, including the renewal of many of the windows, although remnants of earlier windows remain.

Inside, the church has a high 15th-century octagonal baptismal font carved with representations of the seven sacraments. The font stands over six feet above the floor of the church on a Maltese cross. A series of 15th-century carved bench ends and the remnants of three 16th-century wall paintings also remain within the church, which also features a rare example of the Arms of James II on the south nave wall.

Notes

References

References

1. [https://www.eastsuffolk.gov.uk/assets/Planning/Neighbourhood-Planning/Town-and-village-profiles/Weston-Village-Profile.pdf Village profile: Weston], [[East Suffolk District Council]], 2019. Retrieved 2020-02-09.
2. [http://www.suffolk.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/38314C3E-02A0-4515-92FE-8909C6FDB3A3/0/Parishestimates01to05.pdf Estimates of Total Population of Areas in Suffolk], [[Suffolk County Council]], 2007-05-01. Retrieved 2009-04-19. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20081219023551/http://www.suffolk.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/38314C3E-02A0-4515-92FE-8909C6FDB3A3/0/Parishestimates01to05.pdf Archived], 2008-12-19.)
3. [https://www.healthysuffolk.org.uk/uploads/Ringsfield_and_Weston-_Parish_Profile.pdf Ringsfield and Weston], Healthy Suffolk, 2016. Retrieved 2020-02-09.
4. [https://www.eastsuffolk.gov.uk/assets/Planning/Neighbourhood-Planning/Town-and-village-profiles/Ellough.pdf Ellough], [[East Suffolk District Council]], 2019. Retrieved 2021-03-02.
5. [http://www.onesuffolk.co.uk/RingsfieldandWestonPC Ringsfield and Weston Parish Council]. Retrieved 2009-04-20
6. [https://suffolk.camra.org.uk/pub/1817 Weston, Duke of Marlborough], Suffolk Pubs, [[CAMRA]]. Retrieved 2020-02-09.
7. [http://www.hundredriverbenefice.org.uk/weston/ Weston], Hundred River Benefice. Retrieved 2011-06-27.
8. [http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-282200-church-of-st-peter-weston Church of St Peter, Weston] British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 2011-06-27.
9. Knott S (2021) [http://www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/weston.htm St Peter, Weston], Suffolk Churches. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
10. [https://opendomesday.org/place/TM4287/weston/ Weston], Open Domesday. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
11. [https://www.domesdaybook.co.uk/suffolk7.html#weston Weston], The Domesday book online. Retrieved 2011-06-27.
12. [[Alfred Inigo Suckling
13. [http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-282201-weston-hall-weston Weston Hall, Weston], British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 2011-06-27.
14. [[Samuel Lewis (publisher)
15. [[John Marius Wilson