Landguard, Suffolk
Historical Description
Landguard, a headland and a fort in Felixtow parish, Suffolk. The headland projects southward at the month of the rivers Orwell and Stour, and lies 1½ mile ESE of Harwich, in Essex. The Danes, in 880, lost sixteen ships in an action with King Alfred off this headland, and they sailed past it, and up the Orwell, in 1014. The fort on it was built, in the time of James I., for defending Harwich and the Orwell; was strengthened in the time of Charles II., was afterwards enlarged and improved, so as to mount twenty guns on traversing platforms, with an auxiliary battery between two towers; has during recent years been greatly strengthened and armed with heavy guns, and is now used as a depot for troops of the line, and as a rifle practice ground.
Administration
The following is a list of the administrative units in which this place was either wholly or partly included.
Ancient County | Suffolk | |
Civil parish | Felixstow | |
Hundred | Colneis | |
Poor Law union | Woodbridge |
Any dates in this table should be used as a guide only.
Directories & Gazetteers
We have transcribed the entry for Landguard from the following:
- Samuel Lewis' A Topographical Dictionary of England, by Samuel Lewis, seventh edition, published 1858. (Landguard-Fort)
Land and Property
The Return of Owners of Land in 1873 for Suffolk is available to browse.