Wenham Magna, also known as Great Wenham, is a village and a civil parish in the Babergh district of Suffolk in eastern England.
| Wenham Magna | |
|---|---|
 St. John's Church | |
  Wenham Magna Location within Suffolk | |
| Population | 150 (2005)[1] 185 (2011) |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Colchester |
| Postcode district | CO7 |
| Police | Suffolk |
| Fire | Suffolk |
| Ambulance | East of England |
The parish also contains the hamlets of Gipsy Row, Vauxhall and Wenham Hill. In 2005 it had a population of 150,[1] increasing to 185 at the 2011 Census.[2]
Wenham Magna is the birthplace of Matthew Hopkins, the infamous witchfinder general.[3][4][5] His father, James Hopkins, was vicar of St John's Church[5][6] and the family held land in the area.[7][8] James Hopkins appears to have been popular with his parishioners, one of whom left him money to purchase bibles for his children.[4]
Church of St John
editThe parish church of St John is a Grade II* listed building.[9]
The chancel is 14th-century with a later, timber-framed, south porch. There is a 14th-century nave with north and south porches and a 15th-century west tower of flint with stone dressings. The rest of the church is plastered with only the stone windows exposed. The church has red plain tiled roofs.[9]
References
editNotes
edit- ^ a b Estimates of Total Population of Areas in Suffolk Suffolk County Council
- ^ "Civil Pariush population 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
- ^ Gaskill 2005: p. 9
- ^ a b Deacon 1976: p. 13
- ^ a b Sharpe, James (2004). "Hopkins, Matthew (d. 1647)". Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/13751. Retrieved 18 October 2009. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
- ^ Deacon 1976: pp. 13, 17
- ^ Gaskill 2005: p. 23; Deacon 1976: p. 17; quoting James Hopkins' last will and testament
- ^ Knowles, George. "Matthew Hopkins – Witch–finder General". Retrieved 2 October 2009.
- ^ a b Historic England. "Church of St John, Wenham Magna (Grade II*) (1033403)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
Bibliography
edit- Deacon, Richard (1976), Matthew Hopkins: Witch Finder General, Frederick Muller, ISBN 978-0-584-10164-5
External links
edit
Media related to Wenham Magna at Wikimedia Commons