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

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Westleton Public Houses

WESTLETON in 1844, is a large and pleasant village, on the north side of the Minsmere Level, 2 1/2 miles W.S.W. of Dunwich, and 5 1/2 miles N.E. by N. of Saxmundham, has in its extensive parish 897 souls, and 6103 acres of land, including a large portion of open sandy heath on the north ; some fine salt marshes near the coast; Minsmere Haven, extending more than three miles S.E. of the village ; and several fertile farms in the Dingle, a narrow dale, watered by a small rivulet, running three miles northward from Dunwich, within half a mile of the sea coast. The Dingle had formerly a chapel. The parish is in four manors, of which the following are the names and lords: Westleton-with-its-Members, Sir Charles Blois; Westleton-Grange S. A. Woods, gent.; Westleton-Cleves, John Cutts, gent.; and Westleton Minsmere, Lord Huntingfield. The other principal proprietors of the soil are N. Micklethwaite, Esq., Frederick Barne, Esq, Rev. J. Day, and Charles Purvis, Esq. The gross yearly rental of the parish is £6103. The land is mostly freehold. Westleton Grange anciently belonged to Sibton Abbey, and was granted at the dissolution to Thomas Duke of Norfolk. The Church (St. Peter) is an ancient structure, which formerly had a large tower, containing eight bells, but it fell down in 1770. A fine Norman arch divides the nave and chancel. The vicarage, valued in K.B. at £8, is consolidated with Middleton and Fordley, in the patronage and incumbency of the Rev. Harrison Packard. N. Micklethwaite, Esq., is impropriator of the rectory. The great tithes of Westleton have been commuted for £690, and the small tithes for £325 per annum. The incumbent resides at Yoxford, but has here 17 acres of glebe, and a parsonage-house, which was repaired and enlarged in 1843, at the cost of £600. Here is a Primitive Methodist Chapel, built in 1835, and a National School, erected in 1842, at the cost of £430. The Church Land is let for £17 a year, but the donor is unknown. In 1722, Thomas Grimsby left about in. of land, to provide clothing for poor widows and children of this parish, and it is now let for £14 a year. Fras. Robinson, Esq., of Dunwich, is the sole trustee.