Earl Soham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Earl Soham |
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 Earl Soham, Church of St Mary |
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 Earl Soham
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| Population | 455 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | TM2363 |
| District |
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| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Woodbridge |
| Postcode district | IP13 |
| Police | Suffolk |
| Fire | Suffolk |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| EU Parliament | East of England |
| UK Parliament |
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Earl Soham is a small, quiet village in Suffolk, England. You can find it on the A1120 road, about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) west of the historic town of Framlingham.
A Look Back in Time
Long ago, Earl Soham was owned by powerful nobles called the Earls of Norfolk, from the Bigod family. They also owned the famous Framlingham Castle nearby! King Edward I even gave Roger Bigod special permission to hold a market and a fair for sheep and other animals right here in the village. This shows how important Earl Soham was in the past.
The area has been known as part of the 'Loes Hundred' since before the year 1086. Many of the village's buildings are very old. The main church, St Mary's, has parts that date back to about 1320. The Baptist Chapel was built much later, around 1863. The first school in the village opened its doors in 1850.
Earl Soham Lodge was originally a hunting lodge built in the 1200s. It was rebuilt in 1789 and was home to the Cornwallis family for many years. In the 1800s, Earl Soham was quite busy, with over 750 people living there.
How the Village is Run
Earl Soham is part of a larger area called an electoral ward. This ward stretches south to a place called Charsfield. In 2011, about 2,144 people lived in this whole ward. An electoral ward is a bit like a local voting district. It helps decide who represents the area in local government.
Famous People from Earl Soham
Even though it's a small village, Earl Soham has been home to some interesting people throughout history:
- Thomas Browne: He was an Archdeacon of Ipswich, which is a senior role in the church.
- Nicholas Peke: He was one of the Ipswich Martyrs, a group of people who were persecuted for their religious beliefs.
- Thomas Steyning: He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Castle Rising in 1559. An MP is someone elected to represent people in the country's parliament.
- Robert Groome: He was an Archdeacon of Suffolk, another important church position.
- Auckland Colvin: He was a colonial administrator, which means he helped manage areas that were part of the British Empire, like parts of India and Egypt. He is buried in the village churchyard.
- Patricia Highsmith: A famous crime writer from the United States, she lived in Bridge Cottage in Earl Soham between 1964 and 1967.
