Kedington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kedington |
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 Church of St Peter and St Paul, Kedington |
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 Kedington
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| Population | 1,849 (2011) |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Haverhill |
| Postcode district | CB9 |
| Dialling code | 01440 |
| EU Parliament | East of England |
Kedington is a village in Suffolk, eastern England. It is located in the West Suffolk area. You can find it between the towns of Clare and Haverhill.
Kedington's Past
Kedington was first mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086. Back then, it was called Kidituna. About 280 people lived there at that time.
A man named Thomas Barnardiston was an important figure. He was a puritan, which meant he had strong religious beliefs. He studied in Geneva during the time of Queen Mary I. He returned to Kedington when Queen Elizabeth I became queen in 1558. This was after the Elizabethan Religious Settlement, which changed England's church rules.
Church of St Peter and St Paul
Kedington is home to the Church of St Peter and St Paul. This church is a very old and special building. It was built in the late 1200s.
What's really cool is that the church stands on top of an old Roman villa. You can even see parts of the villa! There are small trap doors under the pews inside the church. These doors let you look down and see the ancient Roman remains.
Above the altar, there is an Anglo-Saxon stone cross. This cross was found near the church. People believe it came from an even older church from Saxon times. Many people consider Kedington's church to be one of the best small churches in England. It is famous for its old-fashioned look and the tombs of the Barnardiston family. The writer John Betjeman even called it "a village Westminster Abbey".
A church leader named Samuel Fairclough was the rector of Kedington from 1629. He was born nearby in Haverhill. In 1662, he had to leave his role. This happened because of the Act of Uniformity. This law made people follow strict church rules. Fairclough was a non-conformist, meaning he disagreed with some of these rules.
After Fairclough left, John Tillotson became the rector from 1663 to 1664. Tillotson later became the Archbishop of Canterbury. This is a very important position in the Church of England.
Famous People from Kedington
Many interesting people have lived in Kedington. Here are a few of them:
- Samuel Fairclough (1594-1677): He was a non-conformist church leader. He served as the Rector of Kedington from 1629 to 1662.
- John Tillotson (1630-1694): He was the Rector of Kedington from 1663 to 1664. He later became the Archbishop of Canterbury, a very high position in the church.
- Philip Skippon (1641-1691): He was a traveler, writer, and diarist. He also owned land and was a Member of Parliament for Dunwich. This means he helped make laws for the country.
- Peter Wildy (1920-1987): He was a virologist. This is a scientist who studies viruses. He was also the Chair of Pathology at the University of Cambridge.
