Brantham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brantham |
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.jpg) St Michael's Church, Brantham |
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 Brantham
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| Area | 7.66 km2 (2.96 sq mi) |
| Population | 2,566 (2011) |
| • Density | 335/km2 (870/sq mi) |
| OS grid reference | TM105345 |
| Civil parish |
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| District |
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| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Manningtree |
| Postcode district | CO11 |
| Dialling code | 01206 |
| Police | Suffolk |
| Fire | Suffolk |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| EU Parliament | East of England |
| UK Parliament |
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Brantham is a village in Suffolk, England. It is located near the River Stour. The village is also close to the border with Essex. Brantham is about 2 miles (3.2 km) north of Manningtree. It is also about 9 miles (14 km) southwest of Ipswich.
Contents
History of Brantham
The name Brantham comes from old English words. Brant means 'hill' and ham means 'village'. So, Brantham means 'village on the hill'. Another idea is that the name means 'burnt village'. This might have happened after a Viking attack from the River Stour.
We know the village has Saxon roots. In 2003, about ninety silver coins were found in Brantham. These coins were from the time of Edward the Elder, who was king from 899 to 924. This discovery is known as the Brantham Hoard.
Brantham is also mentioned in the Domesday book from 1086. This book was a big survey of England. It said Brantham had 38 households. For a long time, the village mostly relied on farming.
Things changed in 1887. A company called British Xylonite Ltd. bought a large farm. They built a factory there, which later became BX Plastics. Not enough homes were available for the factory workers. So, the company built about 60 new houses. This area became known as Brantham New Village.
Fun and Activities
Brantham Leisure Centre is a place for the community. It offers many sports like football, bowls, netball, cricket, and tennis. It also has a bar and rooms for events.
The village has its own football team, Brantham Athletic. They play in the Premier Division of the Eastern Counties Football League.
People in Brantham also take part in charity events. One popular event is an annual Guy Fawkes Night fireworks display.
Old Buildings and Famous People
Brantham's church is called St. Michael and All Angels. It was built in the 14th century. But people believe a religious building has been on this spot for over 1,000 years. The church has links to Dodnash Priory, which was founded in 1188. When the priory closed, some of its old stained glass was moved to St. Michael's Church. The church was repaired in 2004. This was possible thanks to fundraising and a grant from the UK National Lottery.
St Michael's Church owns a special painting. It is one of only two known religious paintings by John Constable. Constable was a very famous artist. He gave the painting, called "Christ blessing the children," to the church in 1805. You can see a copy of it in the church today. The original painting is kept at the Ipswich Museum.
Brantham is part of "Constable Country." This area includes Flatford, Dedham, and East Bergholt. Constable often painted scenes from this beautiful part of England. In 1796, he drew a sketch of a cottage in Brantham. It showed a "Fisherman's cottage in Brantham with a view of Mistley Hall." This drawing is now in the V&A Museum in London. It is one of Constable's earliest known dated drawings.
Thomas Tusser, a poet from the Tudor period, lived nearby. He is thought to have written his famous book, A Hundreth Good Pointes of Husbandrie, at Brantham Hall. Sir John Braham was an important person in Brantham in the 15th century. He was known as a 'shire knight of Suffolk'.
Getting Around
Brantham is about half a mile from Manningtree train station. A long railway cutting runs past the village. Near the Brantham Bull pub, this cutting is the deepest in Suffolk.
There used to be special railway tracks called sidings. One siding went to Marsh Farm. Fresh fruit and vegetables were loaded there for London. Another siding went into the old BX Plastics factory. It was used to load and unload materials. The Marsh Farm siding closed by the 1930s. The BX siding was used for coal deliveries until the early 1960s.
Greater Anglia planned to build a train depot near Brantham. It was going to be on the site of an old factory. However, the project was paused. The local council was worried about how long a nearby level crossing would be blocked by trains.
Other Important Buildings
- There is a Catholic church called The Holy Family on Brantham Hill.
- A Methodist church is located in Gravel Pit Lane.
- On Birch Drive, there are some shops. These include a Co-Operative store, a cafe, and a hairdressers.
- Brooklands Community Primary School is on Brooklands Road. It teaches children from early years to year 6. The school serves the whole village and some areas nearby.
Well-Known People from Brantham
- Humphrey Wingfield (died 1545) was a lawyer. He was also the Speaker of the House of Commons of England.
- Robert Wingfield (died around 1561) was a historian. He supported Mary Tudor.
- William Gurdon (1804–1884) was a first-class cricketer. He was also a judge.
- William Cooke (1821–1894) was a Church of England clergyman. He wrote and translated hymns.
- Basil Acres (1926–2000) was a professional footballer in the 1950s. He played for Ipswich Town F.C..
Images for kids
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St Michael's Church, Brantham
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The Brantham Bull pub
See also
In Spanish: Brantham para niños
