Wherstead is a village and a civil parish located in the county of Suffolk, England. Wherstead village lies 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Ipswich on the Shotley peninsula. It is in the Belstead Brook electoral division of Suffolk County Council.[2]
| Wherstead | |
|---|---|
 St Mary's Church, Wherstead | |
  Wherstead Location within Suffolk | |
| Population | 342 (2011)[1] |
| OS grid reference | TM157406 |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Ipswich |
| Postcode district | IP2, IP9 |
| UK Parliament | |
History
editIt is an ancient settlement, and from its soil the plough has brought to light many evidences of occupation by Romans and by early Britons. In the Domesday Book of 1086 the place is described under the Old English names Querstede and Wervesteda.[3] Toponymic surnames which originate from Wherstead include Quested and Quersted.[4] The name of the village and parish is in today generally pronounced Wersted or Warsted by the residents, the "a" in the latter case having the sound of "a" in father.
Paul family
editThe Paul farming and malting family brought land in Wherstead in 1934.[5] The late George Paul earned an MBE,[6] following a long had association with Suffolk Horses and horseracing.[7] His son and nephews run Suffolk Food Hall.[8]
Buildings
editChurch of St Mary
editThe Church of St Mary, Wherstead, is an Anglican church situated on a hill top site occupied by a church since 1086. It is currently managed by the Two Rivers Benefice, which is composed of the Parishes of Stutton, Holbrook, Woolverstone and Freston, as well as Wherstead.[9]
Foster Barham Zincke was vicar of St Mary, Wherstead when he wrote Materials for the History of Wherstead first published as a series of articles in the Suffolk Chronicle, which were later gathered into book form. Following the publication of the First Edition, in 1887. The subsequent Second Edition featured additional material gathered in Part II: Wherstead in Domesday.[10]
Bourne Bridge
editBourne Bridge marks the boundary of Wherstead parish. Near the bridge stands the Ostrich Inn. At the time of the New England migration, oysters were abundant in the River Orwell, and some speculate that Ostrich was a corruption from 'Oyster Ridge' or 'Oyster Reach'. It is more likely [11] that the pub name derives from the crest of lawyer and Chief Justice, Sir Edward Coke, who acquired the surrounding estate in 1609, and the pub sign is similar to others across East Anglia. In 1995 the pub was renamed from The Ostrich to The Oyster Reach. In 2017 the Oyster Reach branding was removed and it is now part of the Beefeater chain.[12]
Wherstead Park
editWherstead Park is a notable historic house which was converted to an events venue. It closed as such Christmas 2023.[13]
References
edit- ^ "Civil Parish population 2011". Neighbourhood Statistiucs. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
- ^ "Belstead Brook Electoral Division Profile 2017" (PDF). Suffolk Observatory. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
- ^ Open Domesday: Wherstead. Accessed April 2020.
- ^ Hanks, Patrick; Coates, Richard; McClure, Peter, eds. (2016). The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland. Oxford University Press. p. 2193. ISBN 9780192527479.
- ^ "Paul's: A Local Firm". Ipswich Society.
- ^ "A Shotley peninsula horse lover and Babergh communities officer named in Queen's New Year's honours list". Shotley Peninsula Nub News. 31 December 2021.
- ^ "An Interview with Mr George Paul". Wivenhoe's History.
- ^ "'Suffolk Statesman' George Paul was a leader in business and horseracing". East Anglian Daily Times. 14 October 2022.
- ^ "Our Churches". Benefice 01. Two Rivers Benefice. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
- ^ Zincke, Foster Barham, "Wherstead: Some Materials for Its History, Territorial, Manorial and During the Events Between", p. 113. Online reference
- ^ "Wherstead" (PDF). Suffolk Heritage Explorer. Suffolk County Council.
- ^ "Wherstead Oyster Reach || the Suffolk Pubs Guide".
- ^ "We're closing". www.whersteadpark.co.uk. wherstead Park. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
- Merrill, Samuel; A Merrill Memorial, reprint, p 48-49
External links
edit- "Welcome to the Wherstead village website". Retrieved 19 August 2023.
- "Two Rivers Benefice; St Mary's church Wherstead". Retrieved 19 August 2023.
- "St Mary, Wherstead - suffolkchurches.co.uk". Retrieved 22 April 2012.
- "Suffolk Food Hall, Wherstead - suffolkfoodhall.co.uk". Retrieved 22 April 2012.
- "Jimmy's Farm, Wherstead - jimmysfarm.com". Retrieved 22 April 2012.
- "Wherstead Explorer Guide" (PDF). The Suffolk Coast. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
- "Walk along the banks of the River Orwell at Wherstead". East Anglian Daily Times. 21 June 2015. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
Media related to Wherstead at Wikimedia Commons