History

Sudbourne Timeline

C959-963: King Edgar gives Manor of Sudbourne to Bishop Æthelwold in return for the Bishop's translation of the Rule of St Benedict into English. The Bishop grants the manor to the Benedictine monastery at Ely.

1042: Sudbourne included in a list of lands granted to Ely Abbey by King Edward.

1086: Sudbourne listed in the Domesday book. Gilbert of Wissant and Walter of Caen hold land in Sudbourne, including a church, from Robert Malet. The previous English landowner was Edric of Laxfield. The monastery at Ely also holds land at Sudbourne including a church.

12th century: Stone church replaces Saxon church.

1600: Sir Michael Stanhope purchased the Manor of Sudbourne from the Crown, including a manor house, originally known as Chapmans, which becomes Sudbourne Hall

1621: Death of Sir Michael Stanhope. His estate passes to his three daughters.Estate passes by marriage to Sir William Withipole, then to sixth Viscount Hereford.

1753: Estate sold by executors of eleventh Viscount Hereford to first Marquess of Hertford.

1784: James Wyatt re-built Sudbourne Hall for the first Marquess of Hertford, Francis Seymour-Conway.

1835: Long Row Cottages built for estate workers at Sudbourne Hall.

1863: Baptist Chapel built.

1871: Sir Richard Wallace purchased Sudbourne Hall from the fifth Marquess of Hertford, having inherited a fortune from the Fourth Marquess, his “natural” father.

1875: Sudbourne National School erected.

1878-9:Church restored, paid for by Sir Richard Wallace.

1918: Public auction on 24 July of the Stud of Suffolk Punches belonging to the late Mr. Kenneth Clark of Sudbourne Hall. 98 horses were sold including 17 foals.

1926: Sale of Sudbourne Hall estate.

1942: Sudbourne evacuated. The area becomes a training ground for tanks etc. with Sudbourne Hall as the officers' mess and other village houses serving as army accommodation.

1948: Demobilisation. Sudbourne villagers return. An ex-army hut becomes the village hall.

1988: Village Hall re-opened after significant extension and renovation.