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Orford in Suffolk County England History and GeographyORFORD, a borough and parish, formerly a market town, having separate jurisdiction, though locally in the hundred of Plomesgate, county of SUFFOLK, 20 miles (E. by N.) from Ipswich, and 89 (N.E. by E.) from London, containing, with the hamlet of Gedgrave, 1119 inhabitants. This was formerly a place of trade and importance, but has been reduced to an inconsiderable hamlet. The town is situated on the river Alde, and consists of houses irregularly scattered and indifferently built: the streets are neither lighted nor paved, but the inhabitants are well supplied with water. Its decline is attributable to the loss of the harbour by the retiring of the sea, which, on its retreat, threw up a barrier that rendered the navigation dangerous. The oyster fishery is carried on here, under license from the corporation. Coal is imported, and corn exported to London and other places. The river Alde is navigable up to Aldborough quay, for vessels of three hundred tons' burden. The market, which was on Monday, is disused: a toy fair is held on June 24th. The inhabitants received a charter of incorporation prior to the reign of Richard III., by which monarch, by Elizabeth, and by James I., their privileges were confirmed. Under the charter granted by King James, the corporation consists of a mayor, eight portmen, and twelve capital burgesses, assisted by a recorder, coroner, chamberlain, town clerk, two serjeants at mace, two water-bailiffs, and a harbour-master. The mayor and two portmen are justices of the peace. The corporation are empowered to hold sessions twice a year, or as often as may be requisite, and a court of record for the recovery of debts under 40s., at which the mayor, two portmen, the recorder, and the town clerk, preside. The freedom is obtained by gift or purchase for £5. The elective franchise was granted in the 23rd of Edward I., but the exercise of it was discontinued till the reign of Henry VIII., since which period two members have been regularly returned to parliament: the right of election is vested in the mayor, portmen, capital burgesses, and freemen not receiving alms: the number of voters is about one hundred: the mayor is the returning officer, and the patronage of the borough belongs to the Marquis of Hertford. The living is a perpetual curacy, with the rectory of Sudbourne, in the archdeaconry of Suffolk, and diocese of Norwich. The church, which is dedicated to St. Bartholomew, was, when entire, a spacious and magnificent structure of great antiquity, with a square embattled tower: the chancel, now in ruins, appears to be more ancient than the rest of the building, and is separated from the church by a wall built across the east end of the nave; the ruins are in the Norman style, and consist of a single row of massive columns, supporting semicircular arches decorated with zigzag mouldings and other highly finished carvings; the columns are cased with hewn freestone, and display great diversity of style in their embellishments. In the church is a font of exquisite workmanship and great antiquity, and, amongst several others, a monument to the memory of the Rev. Francis Mason, who died in 1621, at the advanced age of one hundred and ten years, eighty of which he was rector of Sudbourne. The porch, which is curious, was formerly adorned with eleven heads of kings, and is still decorated with escutcheons: the windows contain rich tracery, and there is an elegant cross of exquisite workmanship. At the west end of the town are the ruins of an ancient castle, supposed to have been built about the time of the Conquest, and evidently of Norman architecture; the keep only remains, a polygonal building of eighteen sides, flanked by three square embattled towers, equidistant from each other, on the north, north-east, and south-east; the lower part of the walls is solid, the upper parts contain chambers: the whole was formerly surrounded by a double fosse, with a bridge and gateway tower. This structure was anciently in the centre of the town, as the names of fields taken from streets formerly existing, and the frequent discovery of the foundations of buildings sufficiently prove. In the interior of the castle a room has been elegantly fitted up by the Marquis of Hertford, which commands two extensive views of the North sea, and one of the interior of the country for many miles. An hospital for a master and brethren was founded in the time of Edward II., and dedicated to St. Leonard, which continued until after 1586; and a priory of Augustine friars was founded in the 23rd of Edward I.: part of the walls of a monastery, and the burial-ground, yet remain; in the latter a quantity of bones and of Saxon and Roman coins has been found. On the south-east of this parish, towards the North sea, is a lighthouse; and in the parish of Sudbourne, a little north of the Ness, is another, together being designated 'The Orford Ness Lights.' Orford confers the title of earl upon the Walpole family. From Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of England 1831, courtesy of Databases 4 Sale |
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