More of Debenham

Lots of lovely comments after my first post of Debenham photos - Thank you. 

So here are a few more photos of this old picturesque village

 Another very old property with an interesting frontage. It always looks empty, not sure if anyone lives there. Going by the size of the windows it was probably once a shop

 

Who knew there was a website called WET ROADS  which has details of all the fords in the country.

This ford in Debenham is part of the Deben

The River Deben is a river in Suffolk rising to the west of Debenham. The river passes through Woodbridge, turning into a tidal estuary before entering the North Sea at Felixstowe Ferry 34 miles from it's source.  Both the river-name and the name of the village of Debenham are of uncertain origin and relationship, but one theory (of several on offer) is that the river's name was originally Dēope meaning 'the deep one'.The river-name, however, is not recorded in the form Deben before 1735, when it appears thus in Kirby's Suffolk Traveller. The river, though still little more than a stream, is forded twice in the village, with one ford claimed to be among the longest in England

A few weeks ago, after all the heavy rain we had, the water here was a couple of feet deep. 

 

And from the other end showing the ford is nearly 100+ yards long when the water is high.

 

 

No surprise on the name of the road here

The Angel pub was still open a few years ago but now closed

Before Covid there were signs on the front wanting support for it to become a community owned pub

Does this road name below date from 100's of years ago, when The Butts was the area on the edge of a village or town where archery was practiced? Archery practice was compulsory for village men back in around the 15C. They could be called up anytime to go to war.

The Derrybrook is one of the small streams that joins to make the Deben

 

I think this large building was turned into a house a few years ago.

I'm ashamed to admit that I didn't even know this area of woodland was here. It's further along the lane where the ford is, somewhere you wouldn't know about without actually going along the road. Wish I'd known about it for my Tree Alphabet photos. It looks very well used by village dog walkers

And finally a view up the village street, catching it for a moment without it jammed with traffic trying to get passed all the parked cars.

Back Tomorrow

Sue

Debenham

Last week after picking up my library books I walked up and down the village street to take some photos of several of the old houses in Debenham. I've lived 4 miles from Debenham for the last 3 years but haven't mentioned it much on the blog so some photos before I move a wee bit further away (only a couple of miles further but on the other side of the main A road).

 Debenham calls itself  "a rural idyll in the heart of Mid Suffolk" . It's a large village now - population around 2,400 and had 69 households back in1086 which was large for then too.

It's on a B road and busy with traffic (not so idyllic when you are trying to drive through and everywhere is jammed up with parked cars)  but in the past still a busy place as it's on the old road that goes from Ipswich to Diss, several of the pubs would have been coaching Inns. 

I've not included photos of the church as that can be seen here when I visited HERE    back in July 2018 (and looking back to find Debenham Church I realised how much I'm looking forward to visiting some of the other 50 Suffolk Churches that were featured in Treasures In Suffolk Churches book , my last church visit was just before lock-down in March 2020)

This is in the side window of the Pharmacy and chemist shop. The sign looks very old but the shop is still up and running.

 

So many half timbered houses in this large village

 

This house is fascinating. Difficult to get a good photo as the road junction is busy. It has herringbone brickwork between the timber frame and is 3 stories as well as an area underneath.

An interesting passageway passing underneath another timber frame house

 

The Woolpack is now the only pub in the village, there were two open just a couple of years ago and three in the not very distant past. The pub called The Cherry Tree is now occupied by the vets.

The Grade II Listed, late 14C house below was for sale for £400,000 , The description says "The property is situated in the historic part of the village and is of timber frame with rendered elevations and exposed studding to the front. This Wealden house has a later addition with an early-mid C16 wing to the rear, and is located in a prominent position overlooking the medieval Cross Green and former village pump."

And this is the former village pump mentioned above

Below is the large United Reformed Church in the centre of the village Another Grade II Listed building

 I've got some more photos to share on Monday.

Back Tomorrow

Sue