Akenham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Akenham |
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 Church of St Mary, Akenham |
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 Akenham
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| Population | 60 (2005) |
| OS grid reference | TM146486 |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | IPSWICH |
| Postcode district | IP1 |
| Police | Suffolk |
| Fire | Suffolk |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| EU Parliament | East of England |
| UK Parliament |
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Akenham is a small village in the Mid Suffolk area of Suffolk, England. It's located just outside the city of Ipswich. In 2005, about 60 people lived there. By 2011, the population was still under 100, and it became part of the nearby village of Whitton.
Contents
A Look at Akenham's Past
Ancient Discoveries
Many old items have been found in Akenham. These include metal pieces from the Bronze Age and Iron Age. People have also found a Saxon coin and a bronze disc.
Pottery from the Roman-British time has been dug up in fields. A fancy bronze pendant or brooch from the Middle Saxon period was also discovered. A silver coin belonging to the Saxon king Aethelred II was found nearby too.
Akenham in the Middle Ages
The name Akenham comes from an old English phrase. It means 'Ac(c)a's home or village'. In the Domesday Book from 1086, Akenham was called Acheham.
The book says that 50 households lived there. This included 48 free people and 2 small farmers. The village also had meadows, cows, and pigs.
Akenham in the 1900s
In 1901, Akenham had 104 people living there. The area of the parish was about 1,016 acres.
St Mary's Church was damaged during World War II bombings. It is now looked after by a group called Friends of Friendless Churches. In the 1800s, this church was part of a big national story. It involved a disagreement about burial rules that even went to court. This event helped change the laws about burials in England.
Important Buildings in Akenham
Rise Hall and Its Moat
Rise Hall is a large house near the church. It was built in the late Georgian period. It stands where an old manor house used to be. This was once the home of the Le Ruse or Rous family in the 1200s.
South of Rise Hall, there is a small moated area. A moat is a ditch, often filled with water, around a building. This moat has a small island in the middle. Parts of the ditch still hold water. It's thought that this moat might have been for a dovecote. A dovecote is a building for pigeons. A moat could protect the pigeons from animals or poachers.
Akenham Hall and Local Businesses
Akenham Hall is another old house. It was built in the 1700s and has a Gothic style.
Two old brooches were found near Akenham Hall before 1911. These brooches are from the 500s. They might mean that an ancient burial site was once there.
Today, some small businesses use old farm buildings in Akenham. Stealth Electronics, which makes security equipment, is based at Akenham Hall Farm. Chives Montessori School is also in the village. This school opened in 1989 and serves the local community.
Akenham's Location
Akenham is surrounded by other villages. To the south, it borders Whitton. To the west is Claydon. Henley is to the north, and Westerfield is to the east.
Culture and Entertainment
At Trench Farm in Akenham, there are special trenches. These are copies of the trenches used in World War I. Theatre groups and re-enactment groups use them. These trenches have even been seen in TV shows and movies. For example, they were used in Downton Abbey and Journey's End.
Images for kids
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Rise Hall, Akenham
