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Woodbridge in the
Loes hundred
Woodbridge 1855 Whites Directory
Transcribed by Colin Ager
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Part five
FREE SCHOOL – In 1662, Robert Marryott conveyed to certain trustees his copyhold
messuage in Woodbridge, and the buildings, yards, garden, and orchard thereunto
belonging, in trust for the use and residence of a schoolmaster. By the same
deed, four rentcharges, amounting to �25 per annum, where settled upon the
master for teaching ten poor children – viz., �5 given by the said Robert
Marryott, out of land called Brayes, in Bredfield; �5 given by Fras. Burwell,
out of a messuage at Sutton; �5 given by Dorothy Seckford, out of land at Great
Bealings; and �10 given by the feoffees of the town lands, out of Lamb Farm. By
a decree of the Court of Chancery in 1800, it was ordered that the schoolmaster
and the ten free scholars should be elected by the perpetual curate, the
churchwardens, and six of the principle parishioners; and that the master should
charge only �3 a year for teaching other children of Woodbridge, but might make
his own terms for those sent from other parishes. The free scholars are selected
from the poor families of Woodbridge. They are instructed with the other
scholars in writing, arithmetic, mathematics, and mensuration, and also in the
Latin and Greek Tongues, when required. Besides the use of the school premises,
and the �25 per annum noticed above, the master has 2A. 3R. 36P. of land, left
by Francis Willard, in 1679, and now let for �8 a year. The school and master’s
house were repaired and partly rebuilt in 1835, at the cost of about �500. Here
is also a NATIONAL SCHOOL, built in 1812, at the cost of about �1500, and having
room for about 100 children of either sex; and in Castle street is another large
School, in two apartments, connected with the BRITISH AND FOREIGN SCHOOL
SOCIETY, erected in 1840, at the cost of about �900, and now attended by about
100 of either sex.. The Infant School in the Old Workhouse has about 50 pupils.
The TOWN LANDS are situated in the parish of Martlesham, adjoining that of
Woodbridge, and consists of the Lamb Farm, comprising three tenements,
out-buildings, and 51A. 20P. of copyhold land, given by John Dodd, in the reign
of Henry VII., for the maintenance of the poor and the benefit of the town; and
the Street Farm, containing 9A.2R.39P. of copyhold land, given by Jeffery Pitman
in 1687, for the reparation and maintenance of the church. They are let for �90
a year, out of which �10 a year is contributed towards the support of the free
school; and the remainder, after the payment of �5. 6s. 4d. for land taxes and
quit rents, is applied to the service of the church. In 1660, the churchwardens
and principle parishioners let on lease for 999 years, at the yearly rent of
10s.; the Town Common (about 11A.) which has been used from time immemorial by
the parishioners; and also for the same term, at the annual rent of 2s. 6d.,
about a rood of land, which had been left to the poor by John Sayer. This
property now comprises a dockyard, shipyard, quay, &c., let by the present
lessee for about �400 a year, out of which he pays only 10s. yearly to the
churchwardens for what was formerly the town common, and 2s. 6d. yearly for the
site of a house standing on the land given by John Sayer. The POOR’S HOUSES
comprise a house in Pound street, given by Wm. Bearman in 1668, and long used as
the parish workhouse, but now used as the Union Board Room and an infant school:
two houses and a garden belonging to the parish, and formerly used as
pest-houses�; a house in New street, formerly used as a Bridewell, and purchased
by the parish in 1641; two houses in Turn lane, given by Wm Smith and Jeffery
Pitman, in 1608; and two houses in the Thoroughfare, also given by Wm. Bearman.
These premises, except the old workhouse, are occupied rent-free by paupers or
poor persons. Two pieces of land belonging to two of the houses, are let for �2.
4s. 6d. a year, which is carried to the poor-rates, out of which the cost of
repairing the houses is paid.
sWoodbridge Public Houses
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