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EARL SOHAM, a large and well-built village, pleasantly situated at the junction
of two vales, 3½ miles W. of Framlingham, and 4 miles E. of Debenham, is
distinguished for its extensive lamb and stock fair, held July 23rd and 24th,
and has in its parish 741 inhabitants, and 1944A. 2R. 38P. of fertile, loamy
land. It is called Earl Soham from its being anciently held by the Earls of
Norfolk. In the 20th of Edward I., Roger Bigod had a grant for a market and a
fair here, but the former has long been obsolete. J. Crabtree, Esq., solicitor,
of Halesworth, has lately purchased the manor, which is partly copyhold, subject
to arbitrary fines ; but the principal landowners are Lord Henniker, Sir T. G.
Cullum, and the Goodwin, Henchman, Harsant, Raw, Cavell, Kent, Scotchmer, and a
few other families. Soham Lodge, the property of Sir T G Cullum, and now
residence of J Clubbs Esq, is an old irregular brick building, surrounded with a
brick wall and large moat.
It was formerly the seat of the Cornwallis family, one of whom left it to the
Corderoys, from whom it passed through various proprietors to the Aytons and
Cullnms. The Church (St. Mary) is a neat but ancient fabric, and the living is a
rectory, valued in K.B. a £10, and in 1835, at £515. The Rev. J. H. Groóme,
M.A., is patron and incumbent, and has a neat residence and 35A. 3R. 16P. of
glebe. The tithes have recently been commuted for a yearly modus of £484. 15s.
The Wesleyans and Baptists have each a chapel here. The Charity Land, which has
been vested in trust from an early period, for the relief of the poor
parishioners, is copyhold, and comprises 46A, lying in various parts of the
parish, and let at rents amounting to
£62. 4s. a year. On one parcel of the estate are five tenements, let for £9.
10s. a year. The rents are applied in occasional relief, and in regular
distributions of money, clothing, groceries, etc. In 1677, Robert Wyard left a
yearly rent-charge out of his lands in Worlingworth, to be paid to this parish
as follows, viz., on the 25th of February and on the 23rd of April, 10s. for a
sermon, 25s. for the poor, 5s. for ringing
the bell, and 10s. for a dinner for the churchwardens, etc. on each of these
days. The poor have also £8. 6s. 7d. yearly from Kersey's Charity, (see
Charsfield,) and £6. 16s. from £195 three and a half per cent, annuities,
bequeathed by the Rev. Mr. Capper, in 1818, for a weekly distribution of bread.
Post Office, at George Pettit's. Letters despatched at ½ past 6 mg.
Bellman Rayner, gentleman
Boulton Henry, corn dealer
Butcher Wm. bricklayer & plasterer
Catchpole Wm. painter, plumber, & glazier
Clubbe Jas. Esq., Soham Lodge
Crisp Edward, schoolmaster
Downing Thos. gent
Gonner Mrs
Garlett Rebecca, schoolmistress
Groome Rev J.Hindes, A.M. Rectory
Gross Edw. surgeon and registrar
Harsant Mrs Lucy, Rose Cottage
Harsant Martin, brickmaker; house Cretingham
Haward Mrs Mary Wilgress
Henchman Rev Wm. White
Ling Fras. maltster ; house Bedfield
Mauldon Wm. thatcher
Palmer Walter, watchmaker
Pickering Geo. Clarke, gentleman
Robson Rev John Udney, B.A. vicar of Winston
Stearn George, saddler
Turtill Charlotte, vict. Falcon Inn
Walpole Jno. butcher
Tye Mrs My.
Woods Chas, glover & assist overseer
Woods Geo, whip maker & hairdresser
Blacksmiths
Barker Devereux
Cole Samuel
Boot & Shoe makers
Alexander Wm
Davy Jonathan
Hill Wm
Leggett Wm
Rogers Clement
Wightman Rd (& beer house)
Corn Millers
Bolton Alfred
Wmith Wm
Farmers
Bailey Thomas
Bigsby Rt, Lodge
Brown Wm
Bucks Wm
Churchyard Jas
Goodwin Wm
Kent Wm Mann
Nesling Robert
Nesling Wm
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