Walton, Suffolk
Encyclopedia
Walton is a small village in Suffolk
, between the rivers Orwell
and Deben
. It is often confused as being part of Felixstowe, although it is a separate village and is mentioned in the Domesday Book
. The 19th century terraces of Walton High Street are just a few hundred yards from Hamilton Square in the middle of Felixstowe.
The village High Street has a few shops including: Butchers; Bakers; Indian Restaurant; 2 Co-ops; Furniture shop; Post office; Chemist; Carpet shop & Hair dressers. The windmill
has been conserved.
, stood on high land near Brackenbury Fort and Bull's Cliff, now in Felixstowe
. Probably built in the third or fourth centuries AD, it formed part of the coastal defences of the eastern shore of Britain, and overlooked the mouth of the river Deben
. It is often referred to as Walton Castle. The walls and foundations finally slid down the cliff during the 18th century, but large portions of the walls still lie under the sea.
The name Walton comes from settlement/farmstead of Wealas - native Celts which is what the new Anglo Saxon speaking peoples called the native inhabitants of England.
There is strong evidence that in many areas of England taken over by Germanic speaking settlers, the native British (Wealas) remained undisturbed, farming the same land they did when the Romans left.
Over time they just adopted or forgot their Celtic tongue (similar to Old Welsh/Cornish) for the language and culture of the newcomers in order to climb the social ladder or were coerced to do so.
It was in the Anglo Saxon interest that the native British carry on as usual to ensure the economy produced food and goods for the new landowners.
During the early seventh century, when the Anglo-Saxon royal cemetery at Sutton Hoo
was in use, Walton Castle was an important part of the royal environs which, by c660, had become settled at Rendlesham on the north side of the river Deben. Walton Castle is one of the two principal sites (the other is Dunwich
) claimed in the Middle Ages for the location of Dommoc
, the original Bishop's seat of St Felix (Felix of Burgundy
), first bishop of the East Angles, who arrived c630 AD in the reign of King Sigeberht of East Anglia
. The see of Dommoc survived until the late ninth century.
At the time of the Norman Conquest the manor of Walton was linked with that of Falkenham, a village overlooking the river Deben a little further inland. The fort area was then known as Burch, a form of Burgh. Soon afterwards Roger Bigod, 1st Earl of Norfolk
, invited the monks of Rochester
to found Walton Priory, dedicated to St Felix, in the precinct of the Roman fort.
During the twelfth century the powerful Bigod family established an important Manorial Hall at Walton, which was successively rebuilt and enlarged over the next two centuries using material from the old castle and Caen stone
from Normandy
for ornamental windows and doors. Hugh Bigod also held a Castle at Walton, but was obliged to surrender it to King Henry II
in 1157. Henry then stationed a royal garrison there until 1173, when the rebel Earl of Leicester
landed there to join the Bigods. The Bigod castle, according to the chronicler Diceto, had a high tower set up with very strong walls. Henry ordered its demolition in 1178. King John
was staying at Walton Hall in 1200 when he ratified the original Town Charter of Ipswich
. Large ruins of the Old Hall remained in the eighteenth century, and the last major portion of wall fell during a high storm in the 1880s. It stood near the Felixstowe cricket ground in Dellwood Avenue.
During the thirteenth century the place name Felixstowe first appears, which replaced that of Burch and became the name of the large settlement which has now largely engulfed the older Walton. In around 1317, probably because the Roman precinct was threatened by sea erosion, it became necessary to relocate Walton Priory to Abbey Meadow, behind the Walton parish church of St Mary. The parish church was then used as the conventual or priory church. The ruins of the second Priory were still standing in the late 18th century, and the site was excavated by Dr Stanley West in around 1970. The parish church was largely rebuilt in the 19th century on the mediaeval ground-plan, including the tower unusually sited at the south-west end of the south aisle.
The various Roman and mediaeval ruins of Walton were variously sketched and painted during the 18th century by Francis Grose
, Isaac Johnson and others. The reference to a Cross at Walton carved with the date 631, observed in the 18th century, is to the old wooden Market Cross
of Walton, a covered structure which was inscribed with the date 1631.
, disused. Early C19. Brick base, partly rendered, timber framed and weatherboarded upper section. Octagonal tower. 2 storeys brick, 2 storeys timber framed. Doorway with boarded door. Window of 6 small panes above. Cap replaced by hexagonal pointed corrugated iron roof. Internal machinery removed.
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...
, between the rivers Orwell
River Orwell
The River Orwell flows through the county of Suffolk in England. Its source river, above the tidal limit at Stoke Bridge, is known as the River Gipping. It broadens into an estuary at Ipswich where the Ipswich dock has operated since the 7th century and then flows into the North Sea at Felixstowe...
and Deben
River Deben
The River Deben is a river in Suffolk rising in Debenham -to be precise it has two main sources but the others are mostly fields runoff then , passes through Woodbridge, turning into a tidal estuary before entering the North Sea at Felixstowe Ferry...
. It is often confused as being part of Felixstowe, although it is a separate village and is mentioned in the Domesday Book
Domesday 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...
. The 19th century terraces of Walton High Street are just a few hundred yards from Hamilton Square in the middle of Felixstowe.
The village High Street has a few shops including: Butchers; Bakers; Indian Restaurant; 2 Co-ops; Furniture shop; Post office; Chemist; Carpet shop & Hair dressers. The windmill
Upper Mill, Walton
Upper Mill or Walton Mill is a Grade II listed smock mill at Walton, Suffolk, England which has been conserved.-History:Upper Mill was built in 1804. The mill was dismantled in the early C20th leaving the empty smock tower standing...
has been conserved.
History of Walton
In Roman times a Roman fort enclosing about 6 acres (24,281.2 m²), similar to Burgh CastleBurgh Castle
Burgh Castle is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It is situated on the east bank of the River Waveney, near Great Yarmouth, some 6 km west of Great Yarmouth and within the Broads National Park.-Roman Fort:...
, stood on high land near Brackenbury Fort and Bull's Cliff, now in Felixstowe
Felixstowe
Felixstowe is a seaside town on the North Sea coast of Suffolk, England. The town gives its name to the nearby Port of Felixstowe, which is the largest container port in the United Kingdom and is owned by Hutchinson Ports UK...
. Probably built in the third or fourth centuries AD, it formed part of the coastal defences of the eastern shore of Britain, and overlooked the mouth of the river Deben
River Deben
The River Deben is a river in Suffolk rising in Debenham -to be precise it has two main sources but the others are mostly fields runoff then , passes through Woodbridge, turning into a tidal estuary before entering the North Sea at Felixstowe Ferry...
. It is often referred to as Walton Castle. The walls and foundations finally slid down the cliff during the 18th century, but large portions of the walls still lie under the sea.
The name Walton comes from settlement/farmstead of Wealas - native Celts which is what the new Anglo Saxon speaking peoples called the native inhabitants of England.
There is strong evidence that in many areas of England taken over by Germanic speaking settlers, the native British (Wealas) remained undisturbed, farming the same land they did when the Romans left.
Over time they just adopted or forgot their Celtic tongue (similar to Old Welsh/Cornish) for the language and culture of the newcomers in order to climb the social ladder or were coerced to do so.
It was in the Anglo Saxon interest that the native British carry on as usual to ensure the economy produced food and goods for the new landowners.
During the early seventh century, when the Anglo-Saxon royal cemetery at Sutton Hoo
Sutton Hoo
Sutton Hoo, near to Woodbridge, in the English county of Suffolk, is the site of two 6th and early 7th century cemeteries. One contained an undisturbed ship burial including a wealth of Anglo-Saxon artefacts of outstanding art-historical and archaeological significance, now held in the British...
was in use, Walton Castle was an important part of the royal environs which, by c660, had become settled at Rendlesham on the north side of the river Deben. Walton Castle is one of the two principal sites (the other is Dunwich
Dunwich
Dunwich is a small town in Suffolk, England, within the Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB.Dunwich was the capital of East Anglia 1500 years ago but the harbour and most of the town have since disappeared due to coastal erosion. Its decline began in 1286 when a sea surge hit the East Anglian coast, and...
) claimed in the Middle Ages for the location of Dommoc
Dommoc
Dommoc, a place not certainly identified but probably within the modern county of Suffolk, was the original seat of the Anglo-Saxon bishops of the Kingdom of East Anglia. It was established by Sigeberht of East Anglia for Saint Felix in c. 629–31 It remained the bishopric of all East Anglia...
, the original Bishop's seat of St Felix (Felix of Burgundy
Felix of Burgundy
Felix of Burgundy, also known as Felix of Dunwich , was a saint and the first bishop of the East Angles. He is widely credited as the man who introduced Christianity to the kingdom of East Anglia...
), first bishop of the East Angles, who arrived c630 AD in the reign of King Sigeberht of East Anglia
Sigeberht of East Anglia
Sigeberht of East Anglia , was a saint and a king of East Anglia, the Anglo-Saxon kingdom which today includes the English counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. He was the first English king to receive a Christian baptism and education before his succession and the first to abdicate in order to enter...
. The see of Dommoc survived until the late ninth century.
At the time of the Norman Conquest the manor of Walton was linked with that of Falkenham, a village overlooking the river Deben a little further inland. The fort area was then known as Burch, a form of Burgh. Soon afterwards Roger Bigod, 1st Earl of Norfolk
Roger Bigod, 1st Earl of Norfolk
Roger Bigod was a Norman knight who came to England in the Norman Conquest. He held great power in East Anglia, and five of his descendants were Earl of Norfolk. He was also known as Roger Bigot, appearing as such as a witness to the Charter of Liberties of Henry I of England.-Biography:Roger came...
, invited the monks of Rochester
Diocese of Rochester
The Diocese of Rochester is a Church of England diocese in South-East England and forms part of the Province of Canterbury. It is an ancient diocese, having been established in 604; only the neighbouring Diocese of Canterbury is older in the Church of England....
to found Walton Priory, dedicated to St Felix, in the precinct of the Roman fort.
During the twelfth century the powerful Bigod family established an important Manorial Hall at Walton, which was successively rebuilt and enlarged over the next two centuries using material from the old castle and Caen stone
Caen stone
Caen stone or Pierre de Caen, is a light creamy-yellow Jurassic limestone quarried in northwestern France near the city of Caen.The limestone is a fine grained oolitic limestone formed in shallow water lagoons in the Bathonian Age about 167 million years ago...
from Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
for ornamental windows and doors. Hugh Bigod also held a Castle at Walton, but was obliged to surrender it to King Henry II
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
in 1157. Henry then stationed a royal garrison there until 1173, when the rebel Earl of Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
landed there to join the Bigods. The Bigod castle, according to the chronicler Diceto, had a high tower set up with very strong walls. Henry ordered its demolition in 1178. King John
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
was staying at Walton Hall in 1200 when he ratified the original Town Charter of 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...
. Large ruins of the Old Hall remained in the eighteenth century, and the last major portion of wall fell during a high storm in the 1880s. It stood near the Felixstowe cricket ground in Dellwood Avenue.
During the thirteenth century the place name Felixstowe first appears, which replaced that of Burch and became the name of the large settlement which has now largely engulfed the older Walton. In around 1317, probably because the Roman precinct was threatened by sea erosion, it became necessary to relocate Walton Priory to Abbey Meadow, behind the Walton parish church of St Mary. The parish church was then used as the conventual or priory church. The ruins of the second Priory were still standing in the late 18th century, and the site was excavated by Dr Stanley West in around 1970. The parish church was largely rebuilt in the 19th century on the mediaeval ground-plan, including the tower unusually sited at the south-west end of the south aisle.
The various Roman and mediaeval ruins of Walton were variously sketched and painted during the 18th century by Francis Grose
Francis Grose
Francis Grose was an English antiquary, draughtsman, and lexicographer. He was born at his father's house in Broad Street, St-Peter-le-Poer, London, son of a Swiss immigrant and jeweller, Francis Jacob Grose , and his wife, Anne , daughter of Thomas Bennett of Greenford in Middlesex...
, Isaac Johnson and others. The reference to a Cross at Walton carved with the date 631, observed in the 18th century, is to the old wooden Market Cross
Market cross
A market cross is a structure used to mark a market square in market towns, originally from the distinctive tradition in Early Medieval Insular art of free-standing stone standing or high crosses, often elaborately carved, which goes back to the 7th century. Market crosses can be found in most...
of Walton, a covered structure which was inscribed with the date 1631.
Walton Smock Mill
High street, Walton TM 2935 NW (south side) Smock Mill II Smock millSmock mill
The smock mill is a type of windmill that consists of a sloping, horizontally weatherboarded tower, usually with six or eight sides. It is topped with a roof or cap that rotates to bring the sails into the wind...
, disused. Early C19. Brick base, partly rendered, timber framed and weatherboarded upper section. Octagonal tower. 2 storeys brick, 2 storeys timber framed. Doorway with boarded door. Window of 6 small panes above. Cap replaced by hexagonal pointed corrugated iron roof. Internal machinery removed.
Sources
- J. Fairclough and S.J. Plunkett, 2000, 'Drawings of Walton Castle and other monuments in Walton and Felixstowe', Proc. Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History 39 Part 4, 419-459.
- J. Fairclough, 2008, 'Bigods at Walton Hall and their Successors,' Proc. Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History 41 Part 4, 405-425.
- S.E. West, 1974, The Excavation of Walton Priory, Proc. Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History 33, 131-152.