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Ixworth, Suffolk Villages & Towns - History, Genealogy & Trade Directories

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Ixworth Public Houses

IXWORTH in 1844, is a small, but neat and well-built town, which has been much improved during the present century, by the rebuilding of many of the old houses, and is pleasantly situated in the vale of the small river Thet, on the Norwich Road, 6 1/2 miles N.E. of Bury St. Edmund's; 11 miles N.W. of Stonmarket; 9 miles W.S.W. of Botesdale; and 10 miles S.S.E. of Thetford. It had a market on Friday, which has long been obsolete, as also have its two fairs, formerly held on May-day and Oct 18th. It has, however, a sort of pleasure fair on Whitmonday, and petty sessions weekly. It consists chiefly of one long street, and increased its population from 827 souls, in 1801, to 1,064 in 1841. Its parish comprises 2,212a. 2a. 7p. of fertile land, of which about 200 acres belong to James Matthews, Esq., and the greater part of the remainder is the property of Richard Norton Cartwright, Esq., the lord of the manor, who resides at Ixworth Abbey, a neat mansion with extensive gardens and pleasure grounds, built by the Norton family, on the site of a Priory founded by Gilbert-de-Blund or Blount, about the year 1100, for canons regular of the Augustine order. This Priory, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, stood on a gentle acclivity near the church and the river, and received many benefactions, being valued, at its suppression, at £280 9s. 5d., according to Speed; but Dugdale says only at £168 19s. 7d. It was granted, with the manor,by Henry VIII., to Richard Codington and his wife Elizabeth, in exchange for the manor of Nonesuch, in Surrey, as appears by their monument in the church. It afterwards passed to the family of Fiennes, and from them to the Nortons, from whom it descended to the present proprietor. Roman coins and pottery have often been found at Ixworth ; and a few years ago, the remains of a Roman Villa were discovered about half a mile S.E. of the High-street. Mr. J. Warren has a small collection of coins and antiquities, most of which were found in the town and neighbourhood. The Church (St. Mary) is a neat structure, with several handsome monuments, a tower, and six bells. R. N. Cartwright, Esq., is impropriator, and also patron of the perpetual curacy, valued in 1835 at £101, and enjoyed by the Rev. Edward Cornish Wells, M.A., who has a commodious Parsonage House, built in 1839. Here is a Wesleyan Chapel, built in 1831; and a Baptist Chapel, formed out of a barn some years ago.
About 1 A. 2r. of land, in Pakenham, has belonged to Ixworth church from a very early period, and is now let for £1 5s. a year, A Close of 7a., let for £6 a year, was awarded at the enclosure of Ixworth, in the 43rd of George III , in lieu of other lands belonging to the church and poor; to the intent that one half of the rent should be applied to the use of the church, and the other half to the use of the poor, in respect of the benefactions of Widow Danby and Thomas and Benj. Kettleborough. A legacy of £10, left to the poor, by William Firmage, in 1599, was laid out in the purchase of 1a. 2r. 32p. of land in Rattlesden, now let for £1 5s. a year. Benefactions to the poor, of £50, given by Sir Robert Gardiner, and £20 given by Ann and William Webb, were vested in the purchase of a yearly rent charge of £4 10s. out of 9a. of land, called Mansfield Closes, now belonging to the Boldero family. The Groat Money, which is of unknown origin, consists of a yearly rent charge of 20s., paid out of land at Foulslough, in Ixworth, and distributed in groats among the poor, on Michaelmas day. The manor ef Ixworth has, from an early period, been charged with the yearly distribution among the poor of £5 in money, and £9 worth of wood for firing. In 1789, William Varcy, Esq.,left £l,OOO three per cent. Consols, in trust, to pay one half of the yearly dividends to a man and woman, for keeping Sunday schools, and to distribute the remainder among such of the working poor of the parish, as do not receive parochial relief. The poor parishioners have also £7 10s. yearly, from Cooke's Charily, (see Pakenham.) A National School was built here in 1840, and is attended by about 80 scholars. There are in the town several Friendly Societies, and a Lodge of Odd Fellows, belonging to the Manchester Union.
IXWORTH DIRECTORY.
Post Office, at Mr. Joseph Warren's, High street. Letters received and despatched at 6 morning and 8 evening. The Box closes at 7 evening.

Bantick Wolfran, hawker
Boggis William, parish clerk
Booty John, jun., wine & spirit merchant
Brittain Mary, cowkeeper
Cartwright Richard Norton, Esq., Ixworth Abbey
Caudwell Mrs. Elizabeth
Clark Jas. registrar & relieving officer
Cocksedge William, gamekeeper
Cooper Henry Ralph, surgeon
Doe William, carpenter
Eaton Mrs. Ann
Clayton Mrs. A.
Fermor Mrs. Catherine
George Henry Thomas, excise officer
Goldsmith James, hawker
Goldsmith John, gentleman
Howes James, carpenter
Keeble Mrs. L.
Kitchen Mrs. H.
Lanchester Mrs. Margaret
Leman Mrs. Mary
Wheeler Mrs. C.
Lowe John, gentleman, Cross House
Mahon Rev. W. R.rector of Honington
Matthews James, Esq.
Nixon John, inspector of weights & measures
Nixon William, fruiterer & thatcher
Nunn Sturley, solr. & superintendent registrar of Thingoe Union
Rose Peter, butler at the Abbey
Sams William Henry, solicitor
Smith Rev. Charles, (Baptist)
Smith Mr. George, & Mrs. Mary
Spurting William, gardener, Abbey
Sutton Stephen, policeman
Warren Joseph,clock & watch maker, & dealer in old coins and other antiquities
Wells Rev. Edw. Cornish, M.A , incumbent of Ixworth, Parsonage
Academies.
Cooke Misses
Minns Maria
Attorneys.
Nunn & Sams, (agents to the Sun fire office)
Auctioneer.
Gifford Edw. (& general agent)
Bakers, &c.
Craske Robert
Jarman John
Richer Mary Ann
Turner Thomas
Blacksmiths.
Bailey William
Smith George
Boot & Shoemakers.
Harrald Henry
Haunton Thomas
Hull Charles
Rye Zachariah
Wells Lewis
Bricklayers, &c
Howe Frederick
Sharpe Francis
Sharpe Henry
Sutton Stephen
Butchers.
Bantock John
Reeve Samuel
Woollard Joseph
Cabinet Makers &c.
Battley Frederick
Candler William
Chemist & Druggist.
Harvey Chas. (& British wine dealer.)
Coopers.
Daynes Thomas (& basket maker);
Meadows William
Corn Miller.
Potter John
FARMERS.
Balls Jerh. Heath
Booty John, sen.
Cockerill Charles
Dover Mary
Easlea John
Goldsmith Thomas
Dairy Farm.
Gooch James
Harrison Joseph, Stackings
King John, Heath
Parr Charles
Pickering Thomas
Reeve Joseph
Sharpe Henry
Gardeners.
Goddard Charles
Sharpe Charles
Grocers & Drapers.
Botwright James
Goldsmith Frances Mary
Wiseman James
Hair Dressers.
Brows William
Durrant James
INNS.
Greyhound, John Nixon
Pickerel, Edward Brown
Woolpack, Henry Clemence
Beer Houses.
Bantock Charles
Caudwell Edward
Howard Thomas M.
Ironmonger.
Howard John
Joiner.
Read John, builder & surveyor
Milliners, &c
Bailey Eliza
Pitts Hannah
Rowley Sophia
Rush Elizabeth
Savage Eliza
Sutton Susan
Wright Susan
Painters, Plumbers & Glaziers.
Boyce William
Miller Hannah
Saddlers &c.
Dring John
Straw Hat Makers.
Goldsmith Susan
Sutton Susan
Surgeons.
Barsham & Cooper
Green William
Stedman Foster
Tailors etc.
Brook Benjamin
Cracknell Charles
Rush Henry
Wheelwright.
Howard John

Coaches
To Lonodn &c, 20 min before 7 and a 1/4 before 11 morning; to Bury 1/4 past 1 afternoon; to Diss 1/4 past 3 afternoon; and to Norwich, 4 afternoon daily and to Yarmouth, Mon, Wed & Fri at 2 afternoon. and Tues, Thu & Sat at a 1/4 past 10 morning.; to Bury, Mon. W. & Fri. 2 afternoon.; to Cambridge, Tues. Thu. & Sat. 2 afternoon; and to Botesdale, every Wed. 6 evening.
Mail Cart, to Bury, 8 evening; and to Scole, 6 morning, daily.
CARRIERS.
JohnRowley, to Ipswich, Mon.&Thurs., and to Thetford,Wed. & Sat. 7 morning. Also Lambert, from the Greyhound, to Ipswich, Thursday, 1 afternoon.
Fisk's van, to Norwich, Wed. & Sat. 12 night; and to Bury, Wed. 10 morning., and Sat. 3 afternoon, from the Greyhound.
Sykes' van, to London, Bury, &c., from the Greyhound, Tues.& Thurs. 7 morng.; and to Norwich, 3 afternoon.