Loes was a hundred of Suffolk, with an area of 31,321 acres (126.75 km2).[1][2]

Loes Hundred including the exclaves Butley, Kenton, and Woodbridge

Loes Hundred was long and thin in shape, around 15 miles (24 km) long and between 2 and 6 miles (9.7 km) wide. It followed the course of the River Deben from Cretingham to Ufford where it crossed Wilford Hundred to Woodbridge where it widened considerably. The town and port of Woodbridge fell within the hundred but was detached from the main part by about three miles (5 km). Loes was bounded on the east by Plomesgate Hundred, on the north by Hoxne Hundred, and on the west and south west by Thredling, Carlford and Wilford Hundreds. It was one of seven Saxon hundreds grouped together as the Wicklaw Hundreds.[3]

The area is a picturesque district of hill and valley watered by the Deben, the River Ore and their tributary streams, and the loamy soil is well suited to barley, wheat and beans.

Listed as Losa in the Domesday Book, the name "Loes" probably indicates that it was originally owned by a man named Hlossa.[4]

Parishes

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Suffolk hundreds

Loes Hundred consisted of the following 18 parishes:[1][5]

Parish Area (acres)
Brandeston 1196
Butley 2000
Campsey Ash 1814
Charsfield 1290
Cretingham 1639
Earl Soham 1945
Easton 1462
Eyke 2800
Hacheston 1727
Framlingham 4528
Hoo 1164
Kenton 1210
Kettleburgh 1400
Letheringham 1100
Marlesford 1268
Monewden 1063
Rendlesham 2065
Woodbridge 1650

The parishes of Woodbridge and Kenton are in a detached section of the hundred, which also includes small parts of Bredfield and Dallinghoo that are predominantly in Wilford Hundred.

References

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  1. ^ a b William White (1844). History, gazetteer, and directory of Suffolk. p. 178.
  2. ^ Open Domesday Online: Loose
  3. ^ Williamson, Tom (2018). "New Light on Rendlesham". The Historian (139). The Historical Association.
  4. ^ Walter Skeat (1913). The Place-names of Suffolk.
  5. ^ 1841 Census

52°13′N 1°20′E / 52.22°N 1.34°E / 52.22; 1.34