Hadleigh's History 

History I Archaeology I Timeline I Coat of Arms I  The town in 1889 I The opening of the Railway

Hadleigh's 20th Century Story 1940s Day I WWII & Raydon Airfield 

Hadleigh's & Religion Rowland Taylor - Martyr I Almshouses I History of Catholicism I History of Congregatonalism  , Row Chapel

Hadleigh's Criminal Past John Harvey & the Hadleigh Gang I Sarah Lloyd Hanging


Introduction and Early History

Introduction

The history of the town of Hadleigh is a long and varied one, and a detailed description is beyond the scope of this site. However, we aim to give a brief overview of the development of the Town from which you can go on to discover more.  We also provided a timeline to link Hadleigh events with the national and international picture.

The Early Days

The name Hadleigh is believed to have originally come from the Norse Haethlega (a heath-covered place), though the area was inhabited far further back than this. The remains of a 1st century Roman villa can be found to the east of the present town, and there is evidence of a 5th century pagan Saxon occupation in the area around George Street. 

However it was in the 9th century that the town came to prominence as one of the Viking King Guthrum's royal towns, and it is believed by some that he died in Hadleigh and was buried in what is now St Mary's Churchyard. (A recent talk given by Sue Andrews to the Hadleigh Society explored in depth this legend with, unfortunately, inconclusive results !)

In the 10th century, Hadleigh was given by another Viking ruler to the priory of Canterbury, and from then until the mid-1800's the town was an "ecclesiastical peculiar" under direct control of the Archbishop Of Canterbury rather than the Bishop of the local Diocese.

History - 13th to 15th Century

From the Conquest to Hadleigh's Heyday

By the time the Normans completed the Doomsday Survey in 1086, East Anglia was the most thriving region and Suffolk was the most densely populated. In1252, the grant of a weekly Monday market and an annual fair were was secured from Henry III by the Lord Of Toppesfield. (A descendant later bequeathed these rights to 24 trustees in 1438, who became the Hadleigh Market Feoffment - see below). 

Over the next three hundred years or so, the town grew to be extremely wealthy as a result of the wool and cloth industries. This led to the building of the spectacular parish church on the site of the old wooden (Saxon) church between the 13th and 15th centuries, the Guildhall and dozens of fine dwelling houses. Many of these private houses remain to this day and can be seen in the older parts of the town e.g. High Street, Angel Street, George Street and Benton Street. The enormous wealth generated by the cloth industry led to Hadleigh being ranked 24th in the list of important provincial towns (equal with Southampton).

History - 15th to 17th Century The Deanery Tower In the late 15th century one of the most notable Rectors of Hadleigh (Archdeacon Pykenham) planned a huge brick palace on a site between the church and the river. The 52 foot "Deanery Tower" was finished in 1495 and was intended to be the entrance gateway to his new palace. Unfortunately, he died in 1497, and his dream never to come to fruition. (However in 1833, a series meetings took place in the study on the first floor of the Deanery that led to the eventual formation of the Oxford movement which brought about revolutionary change to Anglicanism both in England and throughout the world). The Town continued to thrive throughout the 15th and 16th centuries, still relying on the cloth industry. Government of the Town (albeit without formal powers) lay in the hands of the "Chief Inhabitants" - mainly the wealthy and influential Trustees of the towns' two major feoffments (charities administering land and property of great value). But, the best of times were past. The heavy felted broadcloth upon which much of the wealth of Hadleigh (and indeed many local economies) was built, was out of fashion, overtaken in popularity by the "new draperies" fostered by Dutch immigrants who settled in the larger towns of Colchester and Norwich. By failing to adapt, by the end of the 16th century the cloth industry was in serious decline, and the town with it. The 17th Century - Hadleigh gets (and loses !) its Charter This decline, however, did not stop the Chief Inhabitants of the Town seeking and obtaining a Charter (and Coat Of Arms) from James I. This was granted in December 1618, and cost the Town over £200 (a huge sum in its day). This allowed the formation of a Corporation consisting of a of Mayor, of seven Aldermen and thirty Burgesses to govern the Town. The idea being that this would formalise the position of the Chief Inhabitants, who took the opportunity to take complete control of the town, even establishing their own Court of Record and building a Town Gaol !But this arrangement did not last for long. In1686 a number of "loyal inhabitants" petitioned the Privy Council for the revocation of the Charter on the ground " .. of great repression ..". The Corporation immediately surrendered their Charter. Because it was surrendered rather than being revoked, it was not restored when most other towns regained their Charters, and indeed it has never since been returned despite various efforts to secure this.