This brief summary of the history of Woodbridge is based on the excellent booklet "Woodbridge, a short History & Guide" by kind permission of the authors, Carol & Michael Weaver ©.
Archaeological finds in the area show habitation from the Neolithic Age (2500-1700 B.C.).
The area was under Roman occupation for 300 years following Queen Boadicca's failed rebellion in 59 A.D. but there is little evidence of the Romans' presence.
When the Roman soldiers were recalled to Rome in 410 A.D., there was a substantial Anglo-Saxon (Germanic) settlement. It was these people who gave East Anglia its name.
In the early 7th century East Anglia rose in importance, under its Wuffing ruler, Redwald of Rendlesham. On his death, around 625 A.D., Redwald was interred in an 80-foot long burial ship, along with many treasures, just across the river Deben from Woodbridge, at Sutton Hoo.
When these remains were discovered in 1939, they were the richest treasure ever found in British soil. The treasures are presently kept in the British Museum in London. Replicas of some items, and the story of the finds, are to be found in the Woodbridge Museum, and the National Trust has built a spectacular Visitor Centre on the site.
Earliest information:
- The first record of settlement was in the 10th Century - King Edgar the Peaceable re-established a monastery in 970.
- The charter is the first document which mentions Woodbridge.
- The Domesday Book of 1086 describes Woodbridge as part of the Loes Hundred.
- Much of Woodbridge was granted to the powerful Bigod family, who built the famous castle at Framlingham.
The town's name has been spelt variously as Udebryge, Wiebryge, Wudebrige and Wodebryge. The most likely explanation of the name is the early Saxon Woden burh or brigg, meaning Woden's town. More research is required to confirm this origin but there does not appear to be a "wooden bridge" origin.
In the 12th century a small priory of Augustinian Canons was founded by Ernald Rufus, on or near the site of the present Abbey School. In 1170, it is first recorded that a mill stood where the present Tide Mill now stands.
During the reign of Henry II, the Canons succeeded in establishing a weekly market in Woodbridge.
The Abbey was poor. In 1296, when they demanded aid to repair the church bells, there was a riot. They were awarded 5 shillings (25 pence) and demanded nothing further.
Woodbridge suffered in the plague of 1349.
Having recovered, and with encouragement from the Canons, and growing general prosperity, a new church (now St. Mary's, behind the buildings on the south side of Market Hill)) was constructed with limestone from the Wash and decorated with Thetford flint. By the mid 15th century the Brews family added a tower and porch.
On 12 October 1534, Prior Henry Bassingbourne confirmed Henry VIII’s supremacy over the Church and rejected the “Roman Bishop”. The Priory was dissolved two years later.
During the religious unrest of the reign of the Roman Catholic Mary Tudor, Alexander Gooch, a weaver of Woodbridge, and Alice Driver of Grundisburgh were burnt for heresy on Rushmere Heath. Alice had her ears cut off for likening queen Mary to Jezebel!
During the period of religious peace in the reign of Elizabeth I, Woodbridge industries prospered along with the wool trade; weaving, sail-cloth manufacture, rope-making and salt manufacture.
The Port was enlarged, ship-building and timber trade became the most lucrative, requiring a customs house to be established in 1589.
The churchyard of St. Mary's was another centre of business, despite official disapproval. In 1583, due to the volume of trade and the proximity of many inns, a urinal was built against the west wall of the church.
Robert Beale
Robert Beale was a powerful Woodbridge citizen, a Puritan lawyer and diplomat.
- In 1570 he became secretary to his brother-in-law, Sir Francis Walsingham.
- Between 1580 and 1587 he was Secretary of State in the Jesuit trials
- negotiated with Mary, Queen of Scots
- carried the death warrant to Mary at Fortheringay Castle
- presided at her execution.
John Fox
John Fox was a flamboyant Woodbridge seafarer.
- In 1563, as a master gunner of the Three Half Moons on a voyage to Seville, his ship was captured by Turks and he was imprisoned at Alexandria.
- After 14 years he planned a daring escape with several prisoners, killed their captors, released 268 Christian prisoners and seized weapons and a galley.
- Four weeks later, with eight men dead from thirst, they landed in friendly territory.
- On his return to England in 1579, he received one shilling (5 pence) per day from Queen Elizabeth I for “valiant action”.
1625-1638: Eleven large merchant vessels were constructed in Woodbridge.
1625: Sir Thomas Warner, of Parham, left Kyson Point, to become the first governor of St Kitts, West Indies.
1627: Local merchants refused to pay “ship-money”. Meetings in the churchyards decided the town should pay because of royal patronage of shipping interests.
1628: Woodbridge was asked to finance an expedition to France - two soldiers were killed in the resulting riot.
1640: Charles I’s reign, the civil war began. Woodbridge was firmly on the side of Parliament.
1644: Parliamentary 'Visitor' William Dowsing (Puritan) destroyed much of the parish church decoration.
1648: Several Woodbridge men took part in the siege of Colchester.
1649: Charles executed. Woodbridge granted many shipping contracts due to some “family influence”.
1656: The Advice, a warship built at Woodbridge, took part in the victory over the Dutch at the battle of Sole Bay, off Southwold. 146 prisoners were kept in a timber-framed building in New Street, which is now a private house called the Bridewell.
1660: Woodbridge celebrated when Charles II was brought out of exile in Holland.
1662: Woodbridge School founded by Dorothy Seckford, Francis Burwell and Robert Marryott.
168? - Cromwell’s skull:
- sold to a Cambridgeshire family.
- More recently, it came into the possession of the late Canon Wilkinson of Woodbridge.
- In 1960 it was reburied, having been bequeathed to Cromwell’s college at Cambridge, Sidney Sussex.
1665: Outbreak of the Great Plague. Reached Woodbridge in July. 300 died in the town.
Thomas Seckford
Thomas Seckford was Woodbridge’s most influential citizen and greatest benefactor, rising to power in the reign of Mary Tudor.
- A barrister at Gray’s Inn and a Lent Reader in 1555
- Elected to Parliament in 1550, 1563 and 1572.
- On Elizabeth’s accession he became one of the Masters of the Court of Requests.
- In 1564, the Queen granted him the Manor of Woodbridge late Priory for £764-8s-4d. The oldest wing of the Abbey dates from this year and bears Seckford’s coat of arms.
- When Elizabeth complained about the smell of his boots, he retaliated with complaints about unpaid royal debts!
- In 1575 Seckford built the Shire Hall in Market Hill to house the Sessions.
- It was more recently used as a Magistrates and Juvenile court but now houses the offices of Woodbridge Town Council and the Suffolk Horse Museum.
- On 23 May 1587, Woodbridge benefitted from Seckford’s success as a merchant, when he endowed the Seckford Almshouse with property in Clerkenwell, London.
- Thomas Seckford died in 1587 and was buried in St. Mary’s Parish church but his charity still benefits Woodbridge, 400 years after his death.
1700s:
- Dramatic decline of ship-building
- The largest vessel built in Woodbridge was the 663 ton Kingfisher
- 1735 - Two hundredweight of tea seized from smugglers near Kesgrave
- 1784 - Hour-long battle between excise officers and spirits smugglers.
- 1793 - The present Tide Mill was built.
- 1798 - Thomas Churchyard was born. As a painter of water colours and oils, he became one of the so-called "Woodbridge Wits."
1803: Britain at war with France. Barracks cover 50 acres at Drybridge Hill with accommodation for 5,000 soldiers including 700 cavalrymen and their horses.
1811: Barracks swollen by 650 camp followers. Troops not popular with residents. Theatre built near Angel Lane.
1814: Maurice Griffin murdered a fellow private in the 69th Regiment of Foot, in Old Barrack Road. He was executed in Ipswich.
1815: Soldiers departed Woodbridge. Much rejoicing.
1815-30:
- Sometime in this period, our cottage was built, probably as a home for maltsters.
- The Prince Regent was a frequent visitor to Woodbridge, with the Duke of Wellington.
- Changed horses at the Crown Inn, on their way to visit the Marquis of Hertford at Sudbourne Hall.
- The shooting, and Lady Hertford, were the chief attractions for the prince...
- 5 November 1817 - Prince Regent made a dramatic dash through the town from Sudbourne to the bedside of his daughter Charlotte. Her death the following day, ultimately made possible the accession of Victoria as Queen 20 years later.
1859: The stage-coach era ended - the railway line between Ipswich and Lowestoft was finally opened, with a station at Woodbridge.
1865:
- Thomas Churchyard, local artist, died.
- 699 ships brought coal - a total of 37,720 tons
- Left laden with corn, flour and malt.
1880-1890:
- Agricultural depression
- Dramatic decline in shipping volume.
Edward FitzGerald
Edward FitzGerald made his home in Woodbridge during the 19th century.
- EFG is most famous for his translation of the 11th century Persian poem "The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam".
- His boat Scandal was a familiar sight on the Deben.
- He brought some literary people to Woodbridge: Carlyle, Charles Keen ("Punch" artist) and poet laureate Tennyson.
- They lodged at "The Bull" hotel in Market Hill.
- Fitz died in 1883 and was buried in Boulge churchyard.
- The rose tree over his grave came from hips brought from Omar Khayyam's grave at Naishapur.
12 August 1915:
- 28 bombs dropped from a Zeppelin
- 6 Woodbridge citizens were killed
- A record of that terrible night was written by a 14 year old girl, Ruby Hayward
- Ruby's legacy to Woodbridge was the founding of the Woodbridge Museum
- Ruby's account of the Zeppelin raid, and other Zeppelin information are now on display in 'her' museum.
1926: One of the last loads of wheat from Millwall docks was unloaded for the Tide Mill.
1939: England's finest Anglo-Saxon treasures found when Mrs Pretty planned to excavate the mounds on her land. Excavations brought to light the richest burial ever discovered in Britain; an Anglo-Saxon ship containing the treasure of one of the earliest English kings, Redwald, King of East Anglia - Sutton Hoo
1970s:
- Woodbridge School first admitted girls
- Woodbridge "twinned" with Mussidan, France, in 1973.
- Extensive and colourful Royal Jubilee celebrations, reflecting the civic pride which exists in Woodbridge.
1980: The Rendlesham Forest UFO incident allegedly took place outside RAF Woodbridge, an air base being used by the USAF.
1993: The USAF leave RAF Bentwaters and the saga of the sale of RAF Bentwaters begins.
2001: RAF Bentwaters site sold to the Kemballs, a local farming and haulage family.
2002: Farlingaye High School awarded "Leading Edge" status.
2004: Restored Tide Mill Quay opened on 16th April
2006:
- Woodbridge Society commence a survey of all timber-framed buildings in Woodbridge
- Woodbridge Town Council take over ownership and responsibility for Elmhurst Park
- Ex-RAF Woodbridge named as Rock Barracks, new home of 23 Engineer Regiment (Air Assault)
- Woodbridge Town Council awarded Quality Town Council status
- 23 Engineer Regiment (Air Assault) awarded Freedom of Woodbridge
2007:
- Woodbridge Primary School transferred from New Street to Pytches Road, Melton
- Open top bus service inaugurated
- 23 Engineer Regiment (Air Assault) march through Woodbridge, bayonets drawn, in response to their being granted the Freedom of Woodbridge
- Framfield House GP survery moves to the grand new Health Centre in the grounds of Notcutts