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Dunwich in Suffolk County England History and GeographyDUNWICH, a sea-port, borough, (formerly a market town), and parish, having separate jurisdiction, locally in the hundred of Blything, county of SUFFOLK, 29 miles (N.E.) from Ipswich, and 98 (N.E.) from London, containing 200 inhabitants. It is supposed by some to have been a town of the Britons, or a Roman station; this opinion having been chiefly grounded on the discovery of some Roman coins. During the Heptarchy it was a place of great importance, having been the metropolis of East Anglia, and the seat of a bishop's see. By the Saxons it was called Dommoc-ceaster, or Donmoc, whence is derived its present appellation. Sigebert, King of the East Angles, having been converted to Christianity in 630, founded a bishoprick at Dunwich, which was held by Felix, a Burgundian, and a succession of prelates till about the middle of the ninth century, when this part of the country was devastated by the Danes. At the time of the Norman survey it was a place of considerable importance, having an extensive herring fishery, as the king received from the burgesses annually £50, and sixty thousand herrings. The town had anciently a mint; and William of Newburgh, who wrote in the reign of Henry II., styles it a wealthy and famous sea-port. In the reign of Richard I., a fine of one thousand and sixty marks was levied on the town, because the inhabitants had supplied the king's enemies with corn; and Ipswich and Yarmouth were fined two hundred marks each for the same offence; whence an estimate may be formed of the relative importance of this place. During the wars of the barons with King John, it was fortified with a ditch and a rampart; and that monarch bestowed on the town a charter of incorporation, and a grant of sea wreck. In the reign of Edward I. it maintained eleven ships of war; and in 1359 it furnished six ships, and one hundred and two mariners, for the siege of Calais. Such was the ancient prosperity and importance of this place that it contained more than fifty religious foundations, including churches, chapels, priories, and hospitals, but being situated on a hill composed of loam and loose sand, it has yielded to the successive encroachments of the sea, which has demolished its churches and convents, ruined its haven, swallowed up its streets, and reduced it to an insignificant village. The borough, as originally established by John, was governed by a mayor; but the charter having been renewed by Edward II., the corporation now consists of a recorder, two bailiffs, two assistant justices, twelve capital burgesses, a coroner, town clerk, and serjeant at mace, with other inferior officers, who are all elected annually on the 29th of August, and sworn into office on the 29th of September. The bailiffs and assistant justices (who are the bailiffs for the preceding year), are magistrates for the borough, exercising exclusive jurisdiction. The corporation are empowered to hold courts of assize and session, the yearly sessions being held in October. There is an admiralty court, at which the bailiffs and assistant justices preside; also a court of requests for the recovery of debts under 40s. within the borough. The freedom of the borough is inherited by the eldest sons of freemen, born while their fathers possessed that privilege, or it may be obtained by gift of the freemen at large. The borough has sent members to parliament ever since the 23rd of Edward I. The right of election is vested in the resident freemen not receiving alms: the number of voters is fourteen. The bailiffs are the returning officers. The market, which was held on Monday, has been discontinued; but there is an annual fair on the 25th of July. Several small boats are employed in the herring fishery, and there are fish-houses, where herrings and sprats are dried, and prepared for sale. Dunwich anciently contained six parish churches, but they have all been entirely destroyed, except that of All Saints, of which only the walls and a square tower remain: it is now reduced to a single parish, the living of which is a perpetual curacy, in the archdeaconry of Suffolk, and diocese of Norwich, and in the patronage of Lord Huntingfield and Colonel Baine. The old church, dedicated to All Saints, being dilapidated, the erection of a new one was commenced in 1826: it is built of white brick, with an octagonal tower, the expense having been defrayed by subscription among the inhabitants. An hospital for lepers, dedicated to St. James, was founded here so early as the reign of Richard I., and richly endowed: the revenue was reduced to £26 per annum, but is now £80, which is divided among a few of the indigent poor. There was another ancient hospital, called Maison Dieu, a great part of the property belonging to which having been lost, through the encroachment of the sea, it has been united to the other charity. A convent of Franciscan friars was founded here in the reign of Henry III., of which there are remains of the walls and two gateways; and there were also a Dominican convent, and a house of the Knights Templars, long since entirely destroyed. Dunwich gives the title of viscount to the Earl of Stradbroke. From Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of England 1831, courtesy of Databases 4 Sale |
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