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Post Office Directory of 1865.
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MILDENHALL is a market town, a polling place for West Suffolk, and
the centre of a poor law union of thirteen parishes, in Lackford hundred,
Fordham rural deanery, Sudbury archdeaconry, Ely diocese, and Canterbury
archbishopric, West Suffolk. The parish comprises the hamlets of Beck Row,
Holywell Row, West Row, and Wilde Street. The town is pleasantly situated on the
navigable river Lark, and near the borders of Cambridgeshire, 72 miles nortb-by-north-east
from London, 22 north-east from Cambridge, 15 east from Ely, 9
north-by-north-east from Newmarket, 13 south-west from Thetford, 12
north-by-north-west from Bury, and 5 north from Kennet station, on the Newmarket
and Bury branch railway. The church (St. Andrew) is a large and handsome
building of stone, rubble, and clunch, in the Early English style, and consists
of nave, aisles, chancel, lofty tower containing 6 bells and clock, and a fine
Gothic porch, ancient font, and sedilia: the roof is of richly carved woodwork:
there are many monuments of the families of North, Warner, Hanmer, Bunbury,
Wichforde, and one which bears recumbent effigies of Sir Henry North and his
lady, with their six children kneeling by their side; the church was re-pewed
and considerably repaired in 1851, and the tower has recently (1805) undergone a
thorough restoration: there is sitting accommodation for about 1,000 persons.
The register dates from the reign of Queen Elizabeth. The living is a vicarage,
yearly value £600, in the gift of Sir Charles J. F. . Bunbury, Bart., and held
by the Rev. Henry George Phillips, M.A., of Emmanuel College, Cambridge
(non-resident); the Rev. Edward Henry Lovelock, M.A., of St. John's College,
Cambridge, is the curate. There are chapels for Baptists, Wesleyans, and
Primitive Methodists. There are four good schools for boys and girls, two of
which derive their support from the Bunbury family, and two are National
schools. A Sunday school is held in the boys' school-room, and others in
connection with the different Dissenting chapels. The town is lighted with gas,
and has a good supply of excellent water. There is a Literary Institute, and
Police Court, with magistrates' room attached, where the county magistrates hold
petty sessions fortnightly. The board of guardians meet fortnightly at the Union
Work House. The union of Mildenhall comprises the following places:—Barton
Mills, Cavenham, Elveden (or Elden), Eriswell, Freckenham, Herringswell,
Icklingham, Kentford, Lakenheatb, Mildenhall, Tuddenham, Wangford, and
Worlington. County courts are held here every two months at the magistrates'
room. The county court has jurisdiction over the following places:—Barton Mills,
Cavenham, Elvedon, Eriswell, Freckenham, Herringswell, Icklingham All Saints,
Icklingham St. James, Kentford, Lakenheatb, Mildenhall (including Beck Row,
Burnt Fen, Holywell Row, Kenny Hill, Undley Common, West Row, West Row Fen,
Wilde Street), Undley, Tuddenham, Wangford, and Worlington. On the north side of
the town is a cemetery, with a neat little chapel in the centre. Here is the
large corn mill of the Messrs. Owers, worked by water and steam power. There are
some good general shops, hotels, inns, &c. The market day is Friday, at which,
however, there is but little business transacted. There is a fair yearly on the
11th of October, for the sale of wood. Here are almshouses, founded in 1722 by
Sir Thomas Hanmer, for four poor widows; and several other small charities,
amounting in the whole to £150 yearly. The population in 1861 was 4,046, and the
area is 17,006 acres, this being the most extensive parish in the county. The
soil is light and sandy; the sub soil, chalk, and, in the fen districts, clay.
Sir Charles J. F. I Bunbury, Bart., is lord of the manor and chief landowner,
but there are several smaller owners. The chief crops are wheat, barley, oats,
and turnips. The Manor House, the seat of Sir Charles James Fox Bunbury, Bart.,
is an ancient noble edifice, built in the time of Charles I., by Sir Henry
North, Bart.: it is in the Elizabethan style of architecture, surrounded by
lofty trees, with pleasure grounds attached. Sir Charles resides chiefly at
Barton Hall, Bury St. Edmund's, but the house is occupied during half the year
by Sir John L. Lister Kaye, Bart.
West Row is 2 ½ miles west, and has some well stocked shops and very extensive
farms, two very handsome chapels for Baptists and Wesleyans, also National
schools for boys and girls, which were erected in 1850 (the average is about
sixty-five children), supported by the principal landowners .
Beck Row is 2 miles north- west, where there are chapels for Primitive
Methodists and Wesleyans, the former built in 1839, and can seat 150 persons,
and the latter in 1829, and can accommodate about 300. Beck Row Lodge, the
residence of Mr. George Wing, is pleasantly situated, and presents a neat
appearance. Aspal Hall, the residence of Mr. John Webb, a very ancient building,
is situated in a picturesque park surrounded by trees, headed by an oak of great
size and antiquity.
Holywell Row is 2 miles north, on the road to Lakenheath, and immediately
adjoins the well drained Fens.
Wilde Street lies a little to the north-west.
Parish Clerk, Robert Ayers.
POST & MONEY ORDER OFFICE & POST OFFICE SAVINGS BANK.—Edward Barrett,
postmaster, Chapel street. Letters arrive by mail cart from Soham at 4.30 a.m. &
delivered at 7.30 a.m. Box closes at 8 p.m.; letters dispatched at 8.30 p.m
POST OFFICE, West ROW.—Robert Hinds, sub-postmaster. Letters arrive from Fordham
by foot post at 8.10 a.m.; dispatched at 5.45 p.m
POST OFFICE, Holywell Row.—John Lofts,sub-postmaster. Letters arrive from
Mildenhall at 7 a.m.; dispatched at 6.30 p.m. The nearest money order office is
at Mildenhall
MAGISTRATES.—Sir Charles James Fox Bunbury, bart. Rev. George Barber Paley, Rev.
Robert Gwilt, Rev. William Welter Foley, M.A. Charles Edward Gibbs, esq. Rev.
Ezekiel Sparke; sit at the police station & new county court house alternate
fridays; George Isaacson, esq. cierk
INSURANCE AGENTS :—
European Life, W. Seeker, Mill street
Life Association of Scotland, John Lang, West street
Liverpool & London & Globe, W. Seeker, Mill street
Norwich Union, Isaacson & Son, Mill street
Railway Passengers' & General Accident Assurance Company, John Lang, West street
Royal, George Jacob Cliifney, High street
Suffolk Alliance, James Read & Jas. Read, jun. High street
PUBLIC ESTABLISHMENTS:—
County Court, held bi-monthly at the police court, John Worlledge, esq. judge;
James Read, registrar; Edward Muskett, high bailiff; Simeon Fenton, bailiff &
broker
County Court Office, High street, James Read, registrar
Excise Office, White Hart, High street , George Thickins, officer
Stamp Office, Mill street, William Seeker, distributor
Police Station, William Glasier, superintendent
Union Work House, Rev. RobertGwilt, chairman; George Isaacson, esq. clerk &
superintendent registrar; Mr. Charles Gross, auditor; Rev. E. H. Lovelock,
chaplain;
Pelbam Aldrich, surgeon; Henry Beales, master; Mrs. Beales, matron
PUBLIC OFFICERS:—
Inland Revenue Officer, George Thickins, Cemetery road
Town Crier, John Hills
SCHOOI.S:— National, Churchyard, Job Jeves, master
National (boys & girls), West Row
Sir Charles Bunbury's (boys), Church lane, John Lewis Saxton, master
Sir Charles Bunbury's (girls), Manor house, Miss Louisa Scott, mistress
COMMERCIAL HOTELS:—
Bell, High street, Thomas Steed
White Hart, High street, Thomas Beard
CARRIERS TO :—
BURY—Charles Coe (cart), Wednesday & Saturday, returns same days; James Morley,
Wednesday & Saturday, returns same days; William Morley (omnibus), Wednesday &
Saturday, returns same days; James Balls (fly), Wednesday, returns same day
KENNET RAILWAY—James Norman, jun. daily
MILDENHALL ROAD RAILWAY STATION—Charles Coe, daily
PRIVATE RESIDENTS.
Aldrich Pelbam, esq. Mill street
Andrews Joseph, esq. Kiln street
Buck Miss, Market place
Buck Mrs. Market place
Chifney Mrs. near the Police station
Harris Frederick Hills, esq. West street
Isaacson George, esq. Mill street
Isaacson Mrs. E. D. Mill street
Kaye Sir John L. Lister, hart. Manor house
Lovelock Rev. Edward Henry, M.A. [curate]. Market place
Pearson Rev. Thomas [Wesleyan], North terrace
Petley Mrs. North terrace
Read James, esq. High street
Read James, jun. esq. West street
Stovin Cornelius Frederick, esq. Kiln street
Suckling Mrs. North terrace
Tonge Mr. William Morton, Mobb's hole, Mill street
Wilde George Reynolds, esq. High street
Wing Mr. John, North terrace
Young Mrs. Mill street
Young Mrs. North terrace