Sotterley: Difference between revisions

{{Infobox UK place

| official_name = Sotterley

| country = England

| region = East of England

| static_image_name = Sotterley_Cemetery_Chapel_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1245325.jpg

| static_image_alt =

| static_image_caption = Sotterley cemetery chapel

| static_image_2_name =

| static_image_2_alt =

| static_image_2_caption =

| area_total_sq_mi =

| area_total_km2 = 6

| area_footnotes = <ref name=vp/>

| population = 113

| population_ref = (2011)<ref name=vp/>

| os_grid_reference = TM454845

| map_type =

| map_alt =

| coordinates = {{coord|52.401|1.610|dim:5000|display=inline,title}}

| label_position =

| post_town = [[Beccles]]

| postcode_area = NR

| postcode_district = NR34

| dial_code = 01502

| constituency_westminster = [[Waveney (UK Parliament constituency)|Waveney]]

| civil_parish =

| shire_district = [[East Suffolk District|East Suffolk]]

| shire_county = [[Suffolk]]

| website =

| hide_services = yes

}}

'''Sotterley''', originally ''Southern-lea'' from its situation south of the river,<ref name=suckling>[[Alfred Inigo Suckling|Suckling,A.I.]], (1846). 'Sotterley',in ''The History and Antiquities of the County of Suffolk'', 2 vols (W.S. Cowell, Ipswich 1846), I, [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=75117 pp. 81–96] (British History Online). Retrieved 2011-04-06.</ref> is a village and [[civil parish]] in the [[East Suffolk (district)|East Suffolk]] district, in the [[English county]] of [[Suffolk]], located approximately {{convert|4|mi|km|0}} south-east of [[Beccles]] and {{convert|1.5|mi|km|0}} east of [[Willingham St Mary]] and [[Shadingfield]]. The parish is primarily agricultural with a dispersed population of 113 at the 2011 census.<ref name=vp>[https://www.eastsuffolk.gov.uk/assets/Planning/Neighbourhood-Planning/Town-and-village-profiles/Sotterley-Village-Profile.pdf Village profile: Sotterley], [[East Suffolk District Council]], 2019. Retrieved 2021-02-10.</ref><ref name=wavlandscape>[http://www.waveney.gov.uk/site/scripts/download.php?fileID=743 'Sotterley and Benacre plateau'], ''Waveney District landscape character assessment'' pp.191–195, Waveney District Council, April 2008. Retrieved 2011-04-18. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20110719115352/http://www.waveney.gov.uk/site/scripts/download.php?fileID=743 Archived], 2011-07-19.)</ref><ref name=wavprofile>[http://www.waveney.gov.uk/site/scripts/download.php?fileID=1648 ''A profile of Waveney'']{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Waveney District Council, February 2011. Retrieved 2011-04-18.</ref> The [[Parish councils in England|parish council]] operates to administer jointly the parishes of Shadingfield, Willingham St Mary, Sotterley and [[Ellough]].<ref>[http://shadingfield.onesuffolk.net/parish-council/ Shadingfield, Sotterley, Willingham and Ellough Parish Council Website], 2021. Retrieved 2021-02-10.</ref>

Sotterley Hall remains at the centre of the parish which now has very few basic services.<ref name=hs>[https://www.healthysuffolk.org.uk/uploads/Shadingfield,_Sotterley,_Willingham___Ellough-_Parish_Profile.pdf Shadingfield, Sotterley, Willingham & Ellough], Healthy Suffolk, [[Suffolk County Council]], 2016. Retrieved 2020-02-10.</ref> A saw mill operates in the village,<ref name=sawmill>[http://www.sotterleyestate.co.uk/the-sawmill The Sawmill], Sotterley Estate. Retrieved 2009-04-19. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20120322214257/http://www.sotterleyestate.co.uk/the-sawmill/ Archived], 2012-03-22.)</ref> often making use of wood from the {{convert|160|ha|acres}} of mixed woodland managed by the Sotterley estate.<ref name=sottestwoods>[http://www.sotterleyestate.co.uk/woodlands Woodlands], Sotterley Estate. Retrieved 2009-04-19. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20120322214427/http://www.sotterleyestate.co.uk/woodlands/ Archived], 2012-03-22.)</ref>

At the [[Domesday Book|Domesday Survey]] in 1086 Sotterley was known as Soterlega and was part of the estate of [[Hugh d'Avranches, 1st Earl of Chester|Earl Hugh of Chester]] in [[Wangford (hundred)|Wangford Hundred]].<ref name=suckling/><ref name=ddonline>[http://www.domesdaybook.co.uk/suffolk6.html#sotterley Sotterley], The Domesday Book online. Retrieved 2011-04-18.</ref> The village had a population of about 21 households and was held by Mundred the Sheriff who also held the [[Abandoned village|lost village]] of Croscroft in Wangford Hundred.<ref name=ddmapsot>[https://opendomesday.org/place/TM4585/sotterley/ Sotterley], Open Domesday. Retrieved 2021-02-19.</ref><ref name=ddmapcros>[https://opendomesday/place/XX0000/croscroft/ Croscroft], Open Domesday. Retrieved 2021-02-10.</ref>

Sotterley was held by Roger de Soterley in 1242<ref name=page>Page,A. (1844). 'Satterley Parish', ''Topographical and genealogical, The County of Suffolk''. ([http://www.bigenealogy.com/suffolk/satterley_parish.htm Available online]. Retrieved 2011-04-06.)</ref> and continued in the family until about 1470 when it was confiscated due to the family's involvement in a rebellion led by the [[Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick|Earl of Warwick]] during the Wars of the Roses.<ref name=suckling/><ref name=page/> [[Edward IV of England|Edward IV]] then gave the manor to Thomas Playters.<ref name=suckling/><ref name=page/> A stained glass window in Sotterley Church commemorated the death of Thomas Playters in 1479.<ref name=suckling/><ref name=suffch/>

In 1744 Sotterley manor was sold to [[Miles Barne (politician born 1718)|Miles Barne]], the son of a London merchant, who rebuilt Sotterley Hall following a fire.<ref name="suckling" /><ref name=page/> The parish was enclosed in 1796 leaving his son [[Miles Barne (politician born 1746)|Miles Barne]], with {{convert|1085|acre|km2 mi2}}, as the largest landholder.<ref name=suckling/> The Barne family still owns the house.<ref name=bbc15sep09>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/suffolk/hi/people_and_places/nature/newsid_8255000/8255624.stm Lake work benefits Beccles newts], BBC news website, 2009-09-15. Retrieved 2011-04-06.</ref> Notable members of the Barne family to have lived at Sotterley include [[Frederick Barne]], M.P. for the rotten borough of [[Dunwich (UK Parliament constituency)|Dunwich]] at the time of the 1832 Reform Act,<ref name=watson>Watson J (1815) ''The treble almanack for the year 1815'' Dublin: Authority. ([https://books.google.com/books?id=nWQRAAAAYAAJ&dq=sotterley+hall+suffolk&pg=RA1-PA46 Available online]. Retrieved 2011-04-06.)</ref> his son [[Frederick St John Newdigate Barne]], M.P. for [[East Suffolk (UK Parliament constituency)|East Suffolk]] from 1876 to 1885 and his son [[Michael Barne]], Royal Navy officer and the last surviving member of the [[Discovery Expedition|1901–04 Discovery Expedition]] to Antarctica.

Sotterley Estate is centred on a Georgian mansion house built in 1744, Sotterley Hall, overlooking a lake.<ref name=suckling/> The hall is a [[Grade I listed buildings in Waveney|Grade I listed building]] and is H-shaped with two wings and a central facade with nine windows.<ref name=kelly1892/><ref name=listed>[http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-282007-sotterley-hall-sotterley Sotterley Hall], British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 2011-04-06.</ref> A number of associated buildings close to the hall, including stables, a water tower and cowsheds, are grade II listed buildings.<ref name=listsott>[http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/england/suffolk/sotterley Listed Buildings in Sotterley, Suffolk, England], British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 2011-04-18.</ref>

The estate surrounding the house, [[Sotterley Park]], was laid out in the 18th century and includes some ancient semi-natural woodland including pollarded oak trees and trees of significant size and age.<ref name=sssicite>[http://www.english-nature.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1000961.pdf Sotterley Park: SSSI citation], Natural England. Retrieved 2011-04-17.</ref><ref name=engnat>[http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/Images/jca83_tcm6-5391.pdf South Norfolk and High Suffolk Claylands], Natural England. Retrieved 2011-04-17.</ref> It is believed to have previously been a medieval deer park.<ref name=sssicite/> The majority of the estate is a [[Site of Special Scientific Interest]] of {{convert|121|ha|acres}}. The park is particularly important in that the trees "support the richest epiphytic Lichen flora in East Anglia"<ref name=sssicite/> with 92 species of [[lichen]] and 14 of [[bryophytes]].<ref name=sssicite/>

[[File:Sotterley - Church of St Margaret.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|right|Church of St Margaret]]

The [[parish church]], a Grade I listed building with many medieval elements,<ref name=listchurch>[http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-282006-church-of-st-margaret-sotterley Church of St Margaret, Sotterley], British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 2011-04-06.</ref> is located on the Sotterley estate and is dedicated to [[Saint Margaret of England|St Margaret]]. Access by vehicle is limited to the times of services.<ref name=suffch>[http://www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/sotterley.htm St Margaret, Sotterley], The Suffolk Churches site. Retrieved 2009-04-19</ref><ref name=hundred>[http://www.hundredriverbenefice.org.uk/sotterley/ Sotterley], Hundred River Benefice. Retrieved 2011-04-18. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20120322213858/http://www.hundredriverbenefice.org.uk/sotterley/ Archived], 2012-03-22.)</ref> The church has more [[monumental brass]]es than any other in Suffolk, as well as medieval glasswork<ref name=suffch/><ref name=sottestch>[http://www.sotterleyestate.co.uk/st-margarets-church St Margaret's Church], Sotterley Estate. Retrieved 2011-04-18. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20120322214458/http://www.sotterleyestate.co.uk/st-margarets-church/ Archived], 2012-03-22)</ref> and a carved oak [[rood screen]].<ref name=kelly1892/><ref name=suffch/> Kelly's directory of 1900 notes that the church register held at the time dated from 1547.<ref name=kelly1900>'Sotterley', ''Kelly's directory of Suffolk, 1900'', p. 306. London: Kelly's Directories Limited.</ref> The roll of honour in the church records that 15 men from Sotterley died during World War I, including two Barnes.<ref name=suffch/>

An unusual octagonal cemetery chapel and cemetery were established outside the estate in about 1883.<ref name=chapel>[http://shadingfield.onesuffolk.net/sotterley-chapel/ Sotterley Chapel], Parish Council Website, 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-19.</ref><ref name=listchapel>[http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-492045-sotterley-cemetery-memorial-chapel-sotte Sotterley Cemetery Memorial Chapel, Sotterley], British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 2011-04-06.</ref> The brick-built chapel is a Grade II listed building which may have been designed by [[Sir Arthur Blomfield]]. Each face of the building has a gothic window.<ref name=listchapel/> The chapel was threatened with demolition but is now owned by the parish council<ref name=chapel/> and restoration was begun in 2007 by the Sotterley Chapel Preservation Trust.<ref name=hundred/><ref name=chapel/>

*A. G. Mathews (1948) ''Walker Revised, being a revision of John Walker's "Sufferings of the Clergy"''