Blundeston
Encyclopedia
Blundeston is a village and civil parish
in the Waveney
district of Suffolk
, England
. It is about 2 miles (3 km) inland, and between Great Yarmouth
and Lowestoft
. The village is seen as one of the more desirable in the area and this is reflected in the house prices being 20% higher than for similar properties in Lowestoft and Gt Yarmouth
which used to house B Category prisoners but in recent years has changed to the lower security C Category status.
The village contains Blundeston CEVC Primary School and St Mary's Church of England
Church (A rare example of a Saxon Round-tower church
). Blundeston has two pubs - The Plough Inn and The Red Lion. The Plough is well known in the local area for its traditional food and attracts many people from outside the village, while the Red Lion is more of a local pub and is mainly frequented by villagers.
There are no shops
in the village but there is a hairdresser
, a scuba diving
centre, and Blundeston Garden Centre
that sells plants and garden furniture. Situated on Church Road is the old fire station
which has now become a piano
gallery. Also nearby on the junction of Church Road and Pound Lane there is an old pound
which was used for storing stray animals, although today the site is overgrown. At the end of Church Road on the junction between Short Road and The Street there is a disused windmill
.
in the novel of the same name by Charles Dickens
. It is not known whether Dickens ever visited Blundeston, but from letters he wrote he mentions choosing the name after seeing it on a signpost during a visit to Great Yarmouth. Links with the novel are prevalent in Blundeston today with road names such as Copperfield Terrace and Dickens Court. On the village sign David is pictured looking towards the church, and the Plough Inn has a plaque over its entrance that says " Barkis (the Carrier) from the novel. David Copperfield by Charles Dickens, started from here", and food is served in the Dickens lounge. The classes in the primary school are called Trotwood, Peggoty, Copperfield and Barkis after characters in the novel. Also, an extension has been put in place for a new classroom for Reception children - this taking the name of Micawber. This is referring to Wilkins Micawber from the novel.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in the Waveney
Waveney
Waveney is a local government district in Suffolk, England, named after the River Waveney that forms its north-west border. The district council is based in Lowestoft, the major settlement in Waveney, which is the only unparished area in the district...
district 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 about 2 miles (3 km) inland, and between Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
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...
. The village is seen as one of the more desirable in the area and this is reflected in the house prices being 20% higher than for similar properties in Lowestoft and Gt Yarmouth
Local amenities
On the southern edge of the village is Blundeston PrisonBlundeston (HM Prison)
HM Prison Blundeston is a Category C men's prison, located in the Village of Blundeston in Suffolk, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-History:...
which used to house B Category prisoners but in recent years has changed to the lower security C Category status.
The village contains Blundeston CEVC Primary School and St Mary's Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
Church (A rare example of a Saxon 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...
). Blundeston has two pubs - The Plough Inn and The Red Lion. The Plough is well known in the local area for its traditional food and attracts many people from outside the village, while the Red Lion is more of a local pub and is mainly frequented by villagers.
There are no shops
Retailing
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
in the village but there is a hairdresser
Hairdresser
Hairdresser is a term referring to anyone whose occupation is to cut or style hair in order to change or maintain a person's image. This is achieved using a combination of hair coloring, haircutting, and hair texturing techniques...
, a scuba diving
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
centre, and Blundeston Garden Centre
Garden centre
A garden centre is a retail firm that sells plants and products related to gardens as its primary business. It is open to the public, with facilities to care for and display plants.- UK :...
that sells plants and garden furniture. Situated on Church Road is the old fire station
Fire station
A fire station is a structure or other area set aside for storage of firefighting apparatus , personal protective equipment, fire hose, fire extinguishers, and other fire extinguishing equipment...
which has now become a piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
gallery. Also nearby on the junction of Church Road and Pound Lane there is an old pound
Pound (village)
The Village pound was a feature of most British medieval villages.A high walled and lockable structure it served several purposes; the most common use was to hold stray sheep, pigs and cattle until they were claimed by the owners, usually for the payment of a fine or levy. The pound could be as...
which was used for storing stray animals, although today the site is overgrown. At the end of Church Road on the junction between Short Road and The Street there is a disused windmill
Blundeston Windmill
Blundeston Mill is a tower mill at Blundeston, Suffolk, England which has been converted to residential accommodation.-History:Blundeston Mill was built c1820 by Robert Martin, the Beccles millwright...
.
Dickens connection
Blundeston is probably best known for being the birthplace of David CopperfieldDavid Copperfield (novel)
The Personal History, Adventures, Experience and Observation of David Copperfield the Younger of Blunderstone Rookery , commonly referred to as David Copperfield, is the eighth novel by Charles Dickens, first published as a novel in 1850. Like most of his works, it originally appeared in serial...
in the novel of the same name by Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
. It is not known whether Dickens ever visited Blundeston, but from letters he wrote he mentions choosing the name after seeing it on a signpost during a visit to Great Yarmouth. Links with the novel are prevalent in Blundeston today with road names such as Copperfield Terrace and Dickens Court. On the village sign David is pictured looking towards the church, and the Plough Inn has a plaque over its entrance that says " Barkis (the Carrier) from the novel. David Copperfield by Charles Dickens, started from here", and food is served in the Dickens lounge. The classes in the primary school are called Trotwood, Peggoty, Copperfield and Barkis after characters in the novel. Also, an extension has been put in place for a new classroom for Reception children - this taking the name of Micawber. This is referring to Wilkins Micawber from the novel.
Notable residents
- James MayhewJames MayhewJames John Mayhew is a well-known English illustrator and author of children's books.Brought up in Blundeston, Suffolk, on leaving school Mayhew studied art at Lowestoft School of Art from 1982 to 1984, and then illustration at Maidstone College of Art, graduating BA in 1987 with first class honours...
- The famous authorAuthorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and illustratorIllustratorAn Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
of children's books was brought up in Blundeston