•  Suffolk, England

          Click on the map for other historical maps of this place

In 1887, John Bartholomew's Gazetteer of the British Isles described Suffolk like this:

Suffolk, maritime co. in E. of England, bounded N. by Norfolk, from which it is separated by the Waveney and Little Ouse, E. by the North Sea, S. by Essex, from which it is separated by the Stour, and W. by Cambridgeshire, from which it is separated by the Lark; area, 944,060 ac., pop. 356,893. ...

---

The coast line (of about 50 miles), broken by the estuaries of the Stour, Orwell, Deben, and Aide, is generally low, and the sea has made great encroachments, particularly in the neighbourhood of Dunwich and Aldeburgh. The surface is generally level, and the soil is very varied - occasional fen, loam on the borders of the rivers, sand on the eastern and western borders, and clay in the centre. This last is fertile, and large crops are grown of wheat, barley, pease, and beans, the barley in particular being in high repute with brewers. Butter is extensively made for the London markets. Sheep are reared in the NW., which is hilly; and the Suffolk cart-horse, esteemed for its power of draught, is raised in considerable numbers. (For agricultural statistics, see Appendix.) The mfrs.- principally agricultural implements and artificial manure - are limited. Fine sea-salt is made on the coast. The trade of the seaports is chiefly in corn and malt. The herring and mackerel fisheries are extensively prosecuted at Lowestoft and other places, and oysters are found in the Orwell and Orford. Most of the towns have river communication, and the co. is traversed in all directions by the railways of the Great Eastern system. It comprises 21 hundreds, 517 pars, with parts of 7 others, the parl. and mun. bors. of Bury St Edmunds (1 member) and Ipswich (2 members), the mun. bors. of Beccles, Eye, Lowestoft, and Southwold, and part of the mun. bor. of Sudbury. It is mostly in, the diocese of Norwich. For parl. purposes it is divided into 5 divisions - viz., Northern or Lowestoft, North-Eastern or Eye, North-Western or Stowmarket, South or Sudbury, and South-Eastern or Woodbridge, 1 member for each division; the representation was increased from 4 to 5 members in 1885.

Suffolk through time

Suffolk is now part of Suffolk county. Click here for graphs and data of how Suffolk has changed over two centuries. For statistics about Suffolk itself, go to Units and Statistics.

Suffolk -- but you should check this covers the area you are interested in.

---

Not where you were looking for?

Click here for more detailed advice on finding places within A Vision of Britain through Time, and maybe some references to other places called "Suffolk".