Culford is a village and

civil parish In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government. Civil parishes can trace their origin to the ancient system of parishes, w ...

about north of

Bury St Edmunds Bury St Edmunds (), commonly referred to locally as ''Bury,'' is a cathedral as well as market town and civil parish in the West Suffolk District, West Suffolk district, in the county of Suffolk, England.OS Explorer map 211: Bury St. Edmunds an ...

and north east of

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

in the

West Suffolk West Suffolk may refer to the following places in Suffolk, England: * West Suffolk (county), a county until 1974 * West Suffolk District, a local government district established in 2019 * West Suffolk (UK Parliament constituency), an electoral di ...

district of

Suffolk Suffolk ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East of England and East Anglia. It is bordered by Norfolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Essex to the south, and Cambridgeshire to the west. Ipswich is the largest settlement and the county ...

, England. According to the 2011 Census the parish had a population of 578, a decrease from 620 recorded at the 2001 census. A

tributary A tributary, or an ''affluent'', is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream (''main stem'' or ''"parent"''), river, or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries, and the main stem river into which they ...

of the

River Lark The River Lark crosses the border between Suffolk and Cambridgeshire in England. It is a tributary of the River Great Ouse, and was extended when that river was re-routed as part of drainage improvements. It is thought to have been used for nav ...

, known as Culford Stream, flows through the centre of the village being fed from Ampton Water in Great Livermere. It continues Westward into West Stow before joining the

at Clough Staunch on the edge of

Lackford Lakes Lackford Lakes is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) north and east of Lackford in Suffolk. The SSSI is part of the Lackford Lakes nature reserve, which is managed by the Suffolk Wildlife Trust. The lakes are disused sand ...

. The main village developed along a straight road called "The Street" and there are also some smaller residential areas in Culford, like Benyon gardens, a complex of cul-de-sacs. Most of the houses in central Culford date from the second half of the 1800s and were built as part of the Culford Estate while those at the edges of the village are post-war and later. The centre of the village, along with the Park, and most of West Stow is a conservation area which was established on 4 December 1997. The village also encompasses the

hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...

s of Culford Heath and Chimney Mills. UK Culford

Culford is home to

Culford School Culford School, formerly the East Anglian School for Boys, is a co-educational Private schools in the United Kingdom, private boarding school, boarding and day school for pupils age 1–18 in the village of Culford, north of Bury St Edmunds in ...

, a public school and a member of the

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...

Schools Foundation. The school occupies a former stately home in Culford Park, rebuilt in 1796 for the

Cornwallis Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis (31 December 1738 – 5 October 1805) was a British Army officer, Whig politician and colonial administrator. In the United States and United Kingdom, he is best known as one of the leading Britis ...

family.

History

The village's name is derived from the words ''Cula's Ford'', Cula presumed to be name of local leader. The village is mentioned as ''Culeforde ''in the S1225 charter of 1040 AD where Thurketel grants the lands to

Bury St Edmunds Abbey The Abbey of Bury St Edmunds was once among the richest Benedictine Monastery, monasteries in England, until its Dissolution of the Monasteries, dissolution in 1539. It is in the town that grew up around it, Bury St Edmunds in the county of Suff ...

. The

Domesday Book Domesday Book ( ; the Middle English spelling of "Doomsday Book") is a manuscript record of the Great Survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 at the behest of William the Conqueror. The manuscript was originally known by ...

records the population of Culford in 1086 to be 32 households made up of 2 villagers, 19 freemen, 9 smallholders, and 2 slaves along with 1 cattle, 2 pigs, 85 sheep, and 14 acres of meadow. In April and May 1291, King

Edward I Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots (Latin: Malleus Scotorum), was King of England from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he was Lord of Ireland, and from 125 ...

stayed at the manor in Culford during his visit to

where he agreed that royal justices would not in future sit within the

Liberty of St Edmund The Liberty of St Edmund covers the entire area of the former administrative County of West Suffolk. This area had been established by Edward the Confessor in 1044 and was a separate jurisdiction under the control of the Abbot of Bury St Edmunds A ...

. In 1804,

The Iron Bridge The Iron Bridge is a cast iron arch bridge that crosses the River Severn in Shropshire, England. Opened in 1781, it was the first major bridge in the world to be made of cast iron. Its success inspired the widespread use of cast iron as a str ...

was constructed over the

of the

, that flows through Culford Park. It was the world's first iron bridge to be constructed with hollow segments, built to the design of

Samuel Wyatt Samuel Wyatt (8 September 1737 – 8 February 1807) was an English architect and engineer. A member of the Wyatt family, which included several notable 18th- and 19th-century English architects, his work was primarily in a neoclassical style. C ...

, and is the only Grade I listed structure in the parish. Culford's

public house A pub (short for public house) is in several countries a drinking establishment licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption Licensing laws of the United Kingdom#On-licence, on the premises. The term first appeared in England in the ...

, The White Hart (now known as Benyon Lodge), was closed in December 1840 by

Richard Benyon De Beauvoir Richard Benyon De Beauvoir (born Benyon; 28 April 1770 – 22 March 1854) was a 19th-century British politician, landowner, philanthropist, and High Sheriff of Berkshire. Background He was born in Westminster, the eldest son of politician Richar ...

, owner of the Culford Estate between 1824 and 1883, because he regarded it as "a scene of moral debauchery". The first mention of a postal service in Culford is in July 1852, when a type of

postmark A postmark is a postal marking made on an envelope, parcel, postcard or the like, indicating the place, date and time that the item was delivered into the care of a postal service, or sometimes indicating where and when received or in transit. ...

known as an undated circle was issued. The post office closed in January 1990 and has since been turned into Culford Day nursery.

Population change

Governance

Culford lies in the

West Suffolk District West Suffolk District is a local government district in Suffolk, England. It was established in 2019 as a merger of the previous Forest Heath District with the Borough of St Edmundsbury. The council is based in Bury St Edmunds, the district's ...

of the shire county of

. The four tiers of government & their respective representatives are: * West Suffolk Parliamentary Constituency

Matthew Hancock Matthew John David Hancock (born 2 October 1978) is a British politician who served as Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General from 2015 to 2016, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport from January to July 20 ...

Suffolk County Council Suffolk County Council is the upper-tier Local government in England, local authority for the county of Suffolk, England. It is run by 75 elected county councillors representing 63 divisions. It is a member of the East of England Local Governme ...

Thingoe North Division, Beccy Hopfensperger * West Suffolk District Council Risby Ward, Susan Glossop * Culford, West Stow and Wordwell Parish Council Culford, West Stow and Wordwell Parish Councill has 7 elected members, 4 for Culford, 2 for West Stow and 1 for Wordwell. In terms of community planning the parish does not currently have a Parish Plan or

Village Design Statement Village design statement (VDS) is a term of English rural planning practice. A VDS is a document that describes the distinctive characteristics of the locality, and provides design guidance to influence future development and improve the physical q ...

Notable residents

Earl Cornwallis Earl Cornwallis was a title in the Peerage of Great Britain created in 1753 for Charles Cornwallis, 5th Baron Cornwallis. The second Earl was created Marquess Cornwallis but this title became extinct upon the death of the second marquessate in ...

(1660-1824), Aristocratic family and politicians * Sir Nathaniel Bacon KB (1585–1627), Painter *

(1769–1854), Politician, philanthropist, who was (MP) for

Pontefract Pontefract is a historic market town in the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district in West Yorkshire, England. It lies to the east of Wakefield and south of Castleford. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is one of the ...

from 1802 to 1806, and for Wallingford from 1806 to 1812. A Justice of the Peace, Deputy Lieutenant for the county of Berkshire, and

High Sheriff of Berkshire The High Sheriff of Berkshire, in common with other counties, was originally the King's representative on taxation upholding the law in Anglo-Saxons, Saxon times. The word Sheriff evolved from 'shire-reeve'. The title of High Sheriff#United King ...

. *

George Cadogan, 5th Earl Cadogan George Henry Cadogan, 5th Earl Cadogan (12 May 1840 – 6 March 1915), styled Viscount Chelsea from 1864 to 1873, was a British Conservative Party (UK), Conservative politician. Background and education Cadogan was the eldest son of Henry Cad ...

(1840-1915), Major in the

Royal Fusiliers The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in continuous existence for 283 years. It was known as the 7th Regiment of Foot until the Childers Reforms of 1881. The regiment served in many war ...

Lord Privy Seal The Lord Privy Seal (or, more formally, the Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal) is the fifth of the Great Officers of State (United Kingdom), Great Officers of State in the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord President of the Council and abov ...

from 1886 to 1892,

Lord Lieutenant of Ireland Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (), or more formally Lieutenant General and General Governor of Ireland, was the title of the chief governor of Ireland from the Williamite Wars of 1690 until the Partition of Ireland in 1922. This spanned the K ...

from 1895 to 1902, first Mayor of the

Metropolitan Borough of Chelsea The Metropolitan Borough of Chelsea was a metropolitan borough of the County of London between 1900 and 1965. It was created by the London Government Act 1899 from most of the ancient parish of Chelsea. Following the London Government Act 196 ...

in 1900, and a Justice of the Peace. * Gerald Cadogan, 6th Earl Cadogan (1869-1933),

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

in the

Suffolk Regiment The Suffolk Regiment was an infantry regiment Line infantry, of the line in the British Army with a history dating back to 1685. It saw service for three centuries, participating in many wars and conflicts, including the World War I, First and ...

and later with the

South African Constabulary The South African Constabulary (SAC) was a paramilitary force set up in 1900 under British Army control to police areas captured from the two independent Boer republics of Transvaal and Orange Free State during the Second Boer War. Its fir ...

, member of the

International Olympic Committee The International Olympic Committee (IOC; , CIO) is the international, non-governmental, sports governing body of the modern Olympic Games. Founded in 1894 by Pierre de Coubertin and Demetrios Vikelas, it is based i ...

. *

Henry Cadogan, Viscount Chelsea Henry Arthur Cadogan, Viscount Chelsea, (born Henry Arthur Cadogan; 13 June 1868 – 2 July 1908) was a British Army officer, civil servant and politician. This Viscount Chelsea (the title is a courtesy title) was a Conservative Party (UK), Co ...

(1868-1908),

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

MP for

in the 3rd Battalion of the

References

Location

External links

* *
Culford Village Website

Parish Council WebsiteCulford's entry in the ecclesiastical taxation assessment of 1291-2
{{authority control Villages in Suffolk Civil parishes in Suffolk Borough of St Edmundsbury