Suffolk Villages Home Page | Ipswich Borough & Suffolk Hundreds |Suffolk Villages and Towns A - Z
Snape public houses & Snape in 1865
SNAPE in 1874 is a. small village, on a pleasant acclivity, north of the
river Alde, 5 miles W.N.W. of Aldeburgh, and 8 miles S. by E. of Saxmundham, in
Plomesgate Union and Framlingham and Saxmundham County Court district. Its
parish contains 546 inhabitants, and 2100 acres of land, including the hamlet of
Snape Bridge, about a mile S. of the church, and a quarter of a mile south of
the village, or Snape street ; where there is a good bridge, and a commodious
wharf and warehouses, up to which the Alde is navigable for vessels of 100 tons
burthen. About 17,000 quarters of barley are shipped here yearly for London and
other markets, by Mr. Newson Garrett, who has near the Bridge large warehouses,
an extensive malting house, and the buildings on the south side being in the
hamlet of Dunningworth. and parish of Tunstall. A horse fair is held at Snape
Bridge on the 11th of August. At a short distance west of the bridge is the site
of Snape Priory, which was founded for Black Canons, in 1099, by William
Martell, Albreda his wife, and Jefferey their son, and dedicated to the Virgin
Mary. They endowed it with the manor of Snape, including the benefit of wrecks
of the sea from Thorp to Orfordness; and gave it as a cell to the Abbey of
Colchester. But upon complaint made by the Countess of Suffolk, that the abbot
of Colchester did not maintain a sufficient number of religious in it, accordin
to the wills of the founders, it was, by a bull of Pope Boniface IX., made
couventual, and exempted rem subjection to Colchester. William de la Pole, Earl
of Suffolk, in the reign of Henry VI., designed to have refounded it, and for a
short period, in 1500, it was a. cell to Butley. It was one of the monasteries
suppressed in 1524, and given to Cardinal Wolsey for the endowment of his
college at Ipswich. After the Cardinal's fall, in 1530, it was granted by Henry
VIII. to Thomas, Duke of Norfolk, and was then of the yearly value of £99. 1s.
11d. Nothing now remains of this priory, except some of its stones in the walls
and outbuildings of the farm-house, called the Abbey, which has been more than a
century in the occupation of the Groom family, who, about the year 1842, dug up
many of the foundations, and found some ancient coins, tiles, and skeletons. A
bed of oysters was found, some years ago, about five yards below the surface.
The trustees under the will of the late Col. R. W. Vyse are now owners of the
Abbey, Rookery, and other farms, and also lords of the manor, in which the
copyholds are subject to arbitrary fines. The other principal landowners are
William Long, Esq., A. Borrett, Esq., and Mr. John Scarlett, of London. The
church (St. John the Baptist) stands on a bold eminence, a. mile N. of the
village, and has a lofty tower, and a very ancient and highly ornamented font,
on which are sculptured an assemblage of kings, prelates, and birds, standing on
pedestals. The fabric was repaired, and a new gallery erected at the west end,
about the year 1844, at a cost of about £300. The vicarage, valued in K.B. at
£5. 55. 7d., is consolidated with Friston. The vicarial tithes were
commuted in 1848, for £124. 4s. 9d. per annum. A PRIMITIVE Methodist Chapel. was
built in 1862. In 1802, the Rev. J. Lambert left £200, the interest thereof to
be distributed yearly at Christmas among poor housekeepers of Sharpe, not
receiving parochial relief. This legacy is vested in £250 three per cent.
consols. The school, near the Church, was built in 1836, by William Long , Esq.,
and is attended by about 90 children, who pay 1d. to 3d. each per week.
Post Office at Mr Charles Lambard's.
Letters arrive at 7.45 a.m. from, and are despatched at 6 pm. to Wickham Market,
but Saxmundham is the nearest Money Order Office.
Backham Thomas, thatcher
Barnes Thomas, farmer, Rookery
Burt Jonathan, baker
Easter Robert, parish clerk and assistant overseer
Ellenger Samuel, black and general smith and machinist
Frost Robert and Mrs Ann, National school teachers
Garrett Newson, Esq. J.P. maltster and corn merchant, The Ferns, Snape Bridge ;
& Aldbro’ & London
Girling Thomas W. corn and coal merchant, Snape Bridge
Gooch Samuel, veterinary surgeon, & vict. Plough & Sail, Snape Bridge
Groom Charles, farmer, Abbey
Groom Chas. jun. farmer, Snape commn
Groom Mr George
Hambling Mrs Isabella, Sycamore cottage
Hambling James, farmer, Hall farm
Hambling William Fenton, grocer and draper, etc
Hillen Benjamin, farmer
Hillen James, farmer, Church farm
Hillen John, shoemaker
Hudson John, farmer
Kerridge Isaac, farmer, grocer and beerhouse
Kett William Scarff, miller and corn merchant
Knevett Abraham, boot & shoe maker
Lambard Chas. shoemkr. & postmaster
Leach Edward, wheelwright
Llewellyn Arthur, inland revenue officer, Snape Bridge
Markin William, corn miller
Olding J ames, brick and tile maker
Pryke Daniel George, vict. Crown
Rackham William, butcher
Read Mrs. farmer
Rose J . shopkeeper
Stoner George, grocer
Watson Charles, tailor
Carrier : Robert Knights, to Woodbridge, Monday & Thursday; and Ipswich,
Saturday