History & Heritage

Brief History of Clopton

Clopton was recorded in the Domesday Book as Clopetuna. The Oxford Dictionary of place names states that the name comes from the Old English ‘clopp(a)+tun and means farmstead or village near a hill.

John de Wayland obtained a charter from Edward 1 for a market and fair here but both have long been obsolete.

In the past the River Lark was navigable between Clopton and the Deben, one of the fields having the name Clopton Dock.

The present village has no real centre and the four ancient manors of Kingshall, Brendhall, Rousehall and Wascolies are probably responsible for the small groups of houses and farms. Aerial photographs show evidence of a medieval village behind the church.

An extract from the book "The Manors of Suffolk" showing the pages covering the history of Clopton can be seen in the exhibition of local history in Clopton Church and online at the Clopton church website.

Whites Directory of 1844 lists the villages and towns of the Suffolk Hundreds and, for Clopton, lists a shoemaker, blacksmith, wheelwright and thirteen farmers . The 1912 edition shows that Clopton had a postmaster, a schoolmaster, a builder, nineteen farmers, a shoemaker, a wheelwright, a storekeeper, a farm bailiff, a grocer, hardware merchant, furniture remover/carrier, a publican and an insurance agent.

Clopton school closed in the late 1930's and the Crown public house was sold and became a private house in the 1990's.

The villagers worked hard to raise funds for a new Village Hall to replace the old Mission Rooms beside the school. This was opened in the early 1990's.

 

Clopton Heritage Group

As part of the Heritage grant towards the repair of the church tower, the Clopton Heritage Group was formed. The group researches local history and there is a very interesting display and collection of records in the church. For further information about the Heritage Group and church, please visit the Clopton Church website: http://www.cloptonchurch.org.uk/

An interesting history of Debach airfield can be found here : 493rd BG(H) Museum US AAF