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Post Office Directory of 1865.
ASSINGTON is a parish, with a scattered population, in the Habergh
hundred, union, and county court district, Rural deanery and archdeaconry of
Sudbury, and diocese of Ely, West Suffolk, 4 miles north-east from Bures
station, 57 from London, 5 south-east from Sudbury, and 4 north-west from
Nayland. The church of St. Edmund is beautifully situated in the centre of the
park, adjacent to the Hall: it was built by Canute the Great on the site of the
last battle fought with the Danes: it has recently been restored, and a new
tower built, at the cost altogether of about £3,000. The roof of the chancel is
new, of carved oak, with bosses, and the paving is in mosaic: there is a new
pulpit, reading desk, and lectern, of carved oak: the seats are new, open, and
very commodious; there is a stone font elaborately carved; also a very massive
altar table, with reredos: there are two ancient brasses, also two monuments to
the Gurdon family, dates 1557 and 1648. Earliest date of register 1558. The
living is a discharged vicarage: the tithes were commuted in 1837 for the yearly
moduses of £447 17s. 10i!. to the vicar, who has also 51 acres of glebe, and of
£301 15s. 3d. to the impropriator; the Rev. Philip Gurdon, M.A., of University
College, Oxford, is the incumbent. Assington Hall, an ancient mansion, in a park
of 00 acres, was formerly the
seat of Sir Richard Corbet, who sold it to Robert Gurdon, Esq.; it is now the
seat of John Gurdon, Esq., J.P., who is lord of the manor and impropriator. The
Gurdon's is a very ancient family, originating from a Welshman, who was driven
by the Saxon occupation of his property into Bretagne, in the fifth century,
carrying with him the name of Gurdon, or Greenhill, as a memorial of his ancient
pastoral estates: one of his descendants came over with William the Conqueror,
and on receiving a grant of land, remained in Kent; another of the family, Sir
Adam de Gurdon, was present at the battle of Agincourt; they took a very
prominent part with the parliament during the Civil Wars, and there are at
present five free pardons, with seals, etc, for high treason, hanging in the
ball, which were accorded to them at the Restoration. There are numerous
charities: 1598.— Four bushels of wheat at Christmas and four at Easter by Mr.
Winterflood, payable out of Avely farm. 1665.—£16 given by the Gurdon family for
the purchase of shirts, etc., for the poor, invested in the purchase of 2 ½
acres of land in Aldfleet meadow, now let at £3 per annum. 1690.—£10s. yearly
rent-charge, left by Mr. Thomas Alston. 1777.—£100 left by John Gurdon, Esq.,
for the purpose of sending two boys to the Grammar school at Boxford. 17!'2.—£2
15s. left by John Gurdon, Esq. There are two societies, originated by John
Gurdon, Esq. (upon the allotment principle), jointly occupying 200 acres of
land; one is called the Agricultural Association, the other the Agricultural Co.
Co-operative Society, also the Industrial and Provident Society (limited) (for
provisions, Sec.). The National school for boys and girls has been recently
enlarged. The population in 1861 was 747, and the area is 2,080 acres.
HAGMORE GREEN is a mile east; Marshall's Green and Dorking Tye lie to the south;
Assington Thicks is a large piece or woodland.
Parish Clerk, William Deal.
POST OFFICE.—Mrs. Elizabeth Green, postmistress. Letters from Sudbury arrive at
9 a.m.; dispatched at 4.30 p.m. The nearest money order office is at Boxford
INSURANCE AGENT.—Royal Fire & Life, Charles Green
National School,- Miss Sophia Woolnough, mistress
Glass Mr. James
Gurdon John, esq. J .p. The Hall
Gordon Rev. Philip, M.A. Vicarage
Thompson Capt. Penton, The Cottage
COMMERCIAL.
Agricultural Co-operative Society, Walter Harper, secretary
Agricultural Association, Walter Pollard, secretary
Bell James, carpenter
Butcher James, broom maker, farmer & beer retailer -
Case is Altered
Butcher William,
beer retailer
Carter Daniel, shoe maker
Coe John, farmer
Cook William, boot & shoe maker
Crissell Mary Ann (Mrs.), farmer
Dyer John, farmer
Dyer John, jun. farmer
Gentry William, shoe maker
Godfrey Jemima (Mrs.), farmer
Godden Charles,
Shoulder of Mutton, & butcher
Green Charles, blacksmith, & agent to Royal Fire & Life Insurance Company
Green Hliiabeth (Mrs.), wheelwright & post office
Griggs Jonathan, Shoe maker
Hedges Edwin Thomas, farmer, Hill farm
Hudson Nathaniel, farmer
Industrial & Provident Society for Provisions, etc. {limited), John Deal,
manager
Parsons Charles, landowner & farmer
Plampin Edward, shoe maker
Pollard Walter, miller
Stow William, draper & grocer
Tomkins Abraham, farmer
Underwood Frances (Mrs.), farmer
Warren Daniel, farmer
Warren James, farmer