Butley 1874 Whites Directory
Transcribed by Colin Ager
Butley Public Houses & Butley in
1865
BUTLEY is a scattered village, at the southern extremity of Loes Hundred, on the
west side of Butley River, 4 miles from the sea, 3 miles W. of Orford, and 7
miles E. of Woodbridge in Plomesgate Union and Woodbridge County Court district.
Its parish has 369 inhabitants, and about 1941 acres of land, including a large
open sheep-walk, which forms part of the sandy heath, extending westward nearly
to Woodbridge and Sutton. Butley Priory, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, was
founded for Black Canons of Augustine, in 1171, by Ranulph Glanville, a famous
lawyer, afterwards Chief Justice of England, who endowed it with many churches
and estates. Being removed from office, the founder, in a fit of discontent,
joined the crusaders under Richard I., and was present at the siege of Acre.
Before he set out to the Holy Land, he divided his estates among his three
daughters; and to Maud, the eldest, who married William de Auberville, he gave
the patronage of this priory, which, at the Dissolution, was valued at �318.
17s. 2d. Its site was granted in the 32nd year of Henry VIII. to Thomas, Duke of
Norfolk; but in the 36th of the same reign it was given to W. Forthe, in whose
family it long continued. It afterwards passed to the Clyats and the Wrights. In
1737, George Wright, Esq., fitted up the Gatehouse, and by additional buildings
and various alterations converted it into a handsome mansion. Mr. Wright left it
to his widow, from whom it descended to John Clyatt, a watchman in London, by
whom it was sold to Mr. Strahan, printer to George III. It then passed to the
Marquis of Donegal, and was afterwards the property of Lord Hamilton, by whom it
was sold, with the Rendlesham estate, to Peter Isaac Thellusson, Esq., whose son
was created Lord Rendlesham, and under whose singular will the present Lord
Rendlesham now enjoys this and other valuable estates, subject to the control of
the trustees, called “The Trustees of P. J. Thellusson, Esq. (See Rendlesham).
These trustees are lords of the manor of Butley, owners of most of the parish,
and patrons of the benefice. About 35 years ago they repaired the mansion formed
chiefly out of the Priory Gatehouse, for the residence of the incumbent. The
whole front of what was the Gate-house is embellished with coats of arms finely
cut in stone: and between the interstices of the freestone are placed square
black flints, which, by the contrast of their colour, give a beautiful and rich
appearance. South of the house are some remains of several buildings,
particularly of an old chapel, in which, Grose was informed, a chest of money
was found arched in the wall. Some vestiges of this once large and magnificent
priory may also be seen in the outbuildings of what is now called the Abbey
farm, where several stone coffins were dug up in 1822, and one of them still
remains in the farm yard. In the priory church was interred the body of Michael
de la Pole, Earl of Suffolk, who fell at the battle of Agincourt. THE CHURCH
(St. John), which has a nave, chancel, and tower with one bell, was restored in
1868, at a cost of �240. A gallery for the Sunday school was erected in 1843. In
the chancel are three stained glass memorial windows. The church was furnished
with a small organ in 1873. The living is a vicarage, with the curacy of Capel
St. Andrew annexed to it, and is now valued at �135 per annum; having been
augmented by the patrons, and by grants from Queen Anne’s Bounty, and the
Ecclesiastical Commissioners. The Rev. Goodwyn Alfred Archer, M.A., is the
incumbent. Here is a small WESLEYAN CHAPEL. THE SCHOOL was built by subscription
in 1842, at the cost of �275, and is under Government inspection, and is
supported by grants, subscriptions, and weekly pence. It is attended by about 40
children.
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