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Sudbury

SUDBURY, a borough and market-town, and the head of a union, locally in the hundred of Babergh, W. division of Suffolk, 22 miles (W. by S.) from Ipswich, and 56 (N. E. by N.) from London; containing 5085 inhabitants. This place, originally called South Burgh, is of great antiquity, and at the period of the Norman survey was of considerable importance, having a market and a mint. A colony of the Flemings who were introduced into this country by Edward III. for the purpose of establishing the manufacture of woollen-cloth, settled here, and that branch of trade continued to flourish for some time, but at length fell to decay. The town is situated on the river Stour, which is crossed at Sudbury by a bridge leading into Essex. For some time after the loss of the woollen trade, it possessed few attractions, and the houses belonged principally to decayed manufacturers; but within the present century it has been greatly improved. It was paved and lighted in 1825, under an act of parliament, which was amended and the powers enlarged in 1842. The town-hall, erected by the corporation, in the Grecian style, is a great ornament to the town, in which is also a neat theatre. The trade now principally consists in the manufacture of silk and crape, and bunting for ships' flags; that of silk was introduced about 40 years ago by manufacturers from Spitalfields, in consequence of disputes with their workmen: about 1500 persons are engaged in the silk, and 400 in the crape and bunting business. The river Stour, which is navigable hence to Manningtree, affords a facility for the transmission of coal, chalk, lime, and agricultural produce. An act was passed in 1846 for effecting a railway communication with Colchester. The statute market is on Saturday, the corn-market on Thursday; and fairs are held on March 12th and July 10th, chiefly for earthenware, glass, and toys.

A charter of incorporation was granted by Queen Mary in 1554, and confirmed by Elizabeth in 1559; another was given by Oliver Cromwell, but that from which the corporation till lately derived its power was bestowed by Charles II. The government is now vested in a mayor, four aldermen, and twelve councillors, under the act 5th and 6th of William IV., cap. 76; the number of magistrates is five. The borough first sent members to parliament in the commencement of the reign of Elizabeth, and continued to exercise that privilege until the year 1844, when the inhabitants were disfranchised by a special act of parliament. The powers of the county debt-court of Sudbury, established in 1847, extend over the registration-district of Sudbury, and part of that of Cosford. The recorder holds courts of quarter-session.

Sudbury comprises the parishes of All Saints, St. Gregory, and St. Peter, containing respectively 1262, 1897, and 1926, inhabitants. The living of All Saints' is a discharged vicarage, valued in the king's books at £4. 11, 5½.; net income, £119; patrons, the Rev. Charles Simeon's Trustees. The living of St. Gregory's is a perpetual curacy, with that of St. Peter's annexed; net income, £l60; patron, the Rev. II. Maclean. The churches are of considerable antiquity, and are spacious and handsome structures, mostly in the later English style, of which they present some fine specimens, though generally much defaced. In that of All Saints is a curious monument to the Eden family, whose pedigree is painted on the walls: the pulpit is remarkably beautiful. St. Gregory's, which is the most ancient, was collegiate until Henry VIII. granted its site and other possessions, for the sum of £1280, to Sir T. Paston, Knt.: the font is very magnificent; and in a niche in the vestry-room wall, inclosed with an iron-grating, is a head supposed to be that of Symon de Theobald or de Sudbury, Archbishop of Canterbury in the time of Richard II., and a native of this town, who was beheaded by the mob in Wat Tyler's rebellion.

A free grammar school was instituted in 1491, under the will of William Wood, warden of Sudbury College, who endowed it with a farm now worth about £100 per annum. The hospital of St. Leonard here, for lepers, was founded by John Colneys, and endowed by Symon de Sudbury with about five acres of land, a chapel, and a dwelling-house; it is applied towards the maintenance of the poor. From a bequest by Thomas Carter in 1706. fifty men receive coats, and fifty women gowns, on St. Thomas's day; and there are several smaller charities for the benefit of the indigent. The union of Sudbury comprises 42 parishes or places, 24 of which are in the county of Suffolk, and 18 in that of Essex; the population amounts to 30,048. The college of St. Gregory, for secular priests, established by Symon de Sudbury, was richly endowed, and was valued at the period of the Dissolution at £122. 18. 3. per annum; its only remains are the gateway, and portions of a wall now forming part of the workhouse. A gateway which was part of a monastery of Augustine friars, is to be seen in Friar's-street. An hospital was founded in the reign of King John, by Amicia, Countess of Clare, which was afterwards given to the monks of Stoke; and there was also a Benedictine cell to the abbey of Westminster, instituted in the reign of Henry II. About half a mile from the town is a spring of pure water, which, from its supposed efficacy in curing diseases, is called by the inhabitants "Holy water." Sudbury is the birth-place of Gainsborough, the celebrated painter. It gives the inferior title of Baron to the Duke of Grafton.


Transcribed from A Topographical Dictionary of England, by Samuel Lewis, seventh edition, published 1858.

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