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Suffolk () is a ceremonial
county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
of
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...
in
East Anglia East Anglia is an area in the East of England, often defined as including the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. The name derives from the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the East Angles, a people whose name originated in Anglia, in ...
. It borders
Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the Nor ...
to the north,
Cambridgeshire Cambridgeshire (abbreviated Cambs.) is a county in the East of England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the north-east, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to t ...
to the west and
Essex Essex () is a Ceremonial counties of England, county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the Riv ...
to the south; the
North Sea The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian ...
lies to the east. The
county town In the United Kingdom and Ireland, a county town is the most important town or city in a county. It is usually the location of administrative or judicial functions within a county and the place where the county's members of Parliament are elect ...
is
Ipswich Ipswich () is a port town and borough in Suffolk, England, of which it is the county town. The town is located in East Anglia about away from the mouth of the River Orwell and the North Sea. Ipswich is both on the Great Eastern Main Line ...
; other important towns include
Lowestoft Lowestoft ( ) is a coastal town and civil parish in the East Suffolk (district), East Suffolk district of Suffolk, England.OS Explorer Map OL40: The Broads: (1:25 000) : . As the List of extreme points of the United Kingdom, most easterly UK se ...
,
Bury St Edmunds Bury St Edmunds (), commonly referred to locally as Bury, is a historic market, cathedral town and civil parish in Suffolk, England.OS Explorer map 211: Bury St.Edmunds and Stowmarket Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher:Ordnance Survey – Southampton ...
, Newmarket, and
Felixstowe Felixstowe ( ) is a port town in Suffolk, England. The estimated population in 2017 was 24,521. The Port of Felixstowe is the largest container port in the United Kingdom. Felixstowe is approximately 116km (72 miles) northeast of London. H ...
which has one of the largest
container A container is any receptacle or enclosure for holding a product used in storage, packaging, and transportation, including shipping. Things kept inside of a container are protected on several sides by being inside of its structure. The term ...
ports in Europe. The county is low-lying but can be quite hilly, especially towards the west. It is also known for its extensive
farming Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled peopl ...
and has largely
arable land Arable land (from the la, arabilis, "able to be ploughed") is any land capable of being ploughed and used to grow crops.''Oxford English Dictionary'', "arable, ''adj''. and ''n.''" Oxford University Press (Oxford), 2013. Alternatively, for th ...
with the wetlands of
the Broads The Broads (known for marketing purposes as The Broads National Park) is a network of mostly navigable rivers and lakes in the English counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. Although the terms "Norfolk Broads" and "Suffolk Broads" are correctly use ...
in the north. The
Suffolk Coast & Heaths The Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Suffolk and Essex, England. The AONB covers ancient woodland, commercial forestry, the estuaries of the Alde, Blyth, Deben, Orwell and Stour rivers, farmland, s ...
and Dedham Vale are both nationally designated
Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB; , AHNE) is an area of countryside in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, that has been designated for conservation due to its significant landscape value. Areas are designated in recognition of thei ...
.


History


Administration

The Anglo-Saxon settlement of Suffolk, and East Anglia generally, occurred on a large scale, possibly following a period of depopulation by the previous inhabitants, the Romanised descendants of the
Iceni The Iceni ( , ) or Eceni were a Brittonic tribe of eastern Britain during the Iron Age and early Roman era. Their territory included present-day Norfolk and parts of Suffolk and Cambridgeshire, and bordered the area of the Corieltauvi to the we ...
. By the fifth century, they had established control of the region. The Anglo-Saxon inhabitants later became the "north folk" and the "south folk", from which developed the names "Norfolk" and "Suffolk". Suffolk and several adjacent areas became the
kingdom of East Anglia la, Regnum Orientalium Anglorum , conventional_long_name = Kingdom of the East Angles , common_name = East Anglia , era = , status = Great Kingdom , status_text = Independent (6th centu ...
, which later merged with
Mercia la, Merciorum regnum , conventional_long_name=Kingdom of Mercia , common_name=Mercia , status=Kingdom , status_text=Independent kingdom (527–879)Client state of Wessex () , life_span=527–918 , era=Heptarchy , event_start= , date_start= , y ...
and then
Wessex la, Regnum Occidentalium Saxonum , conventional_long_name = Kingdom of the West Saxons , common_name = Wessex , image_map = Southern British Isles 9th century.svg , map_caption = S ...
. Suffolk was originally divided into four separate
Quarter Sessions The courts of quarter sessions or quarter sessions were local courts traditionally held at four set times each year in the Kingdom of England from 1388 (extending also to Wales following the Laws in Wales Act 1535). They were also established in ...
divisions. In 1860, the number of divisions was reduced to two. The eastern division was administered from
Ipswich Ipswich () is a port town and borough in Suffolk, England, of which it is the county town. The town is located in East Anglia about away from the mouth of the River Orwell and the North Sea. Ipswich is both on the Great Eastern Main Line ...
and the western from
Bury St Edmunds Bury St Edmunds (), commonly referred to locally as Bury, is a historic market, cathedral town and civil parish in Suffolk, England.OS Explorer map 211: Bury St.Edmunds and Stowmarket Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher:Ordnance Survey – Southampton ...
. Under the
Local Government Act 1888 Local may refer to: Geography and transportation * Local (train), a train serving local traffic demand * Local, Missouri, a community in the United States * Local government, a form of public administration, usually the lowest tier of administrat ...
, the two divisions were made the separate administrative counties of East Suffolk and West Suffolk; Ipswich became a
county borough County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, to refer to a borough or a city independent of county council control, similar to the unitary authorities created since the 1990s. An equivalent te ...
. A few
Essex Essex () is a Ceremonial counties of England, county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the Riv ...
parishes were also added to Suffolk: Ballingdon-with- Brundon and parts of Haverhill and Kedington. On 1 April 1974, under the
Local Government Act 1972 The Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974. It was one of the most significant Acts of Parliament to be passed by the Heath Gov ...
, East Suffolk, West Suffolk, and Ipswich were merged to form the unified county of Suffolk. The county was divided into several
local government district The districts of England (also known as local authority districts or local government districts to distinguish from unofficial city districts) are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government. As the st ...
s:
Babergh Babergh may refer to the following places in England: * Babergh Hundred, a defunct hundred of the county of Suffolk, named for a "mound of a man called Babba" * Babergh District Babergh District (pronounced , ) is a local government district in ...
,
Forest Heath Forest Heath was a local government district in Suffolk, England. Its council was based in Mildenhall. Other towns in the district included Newmarket. The population of the district at the 2011 Census was 59,748. The district's name refle ...
,
Ipswich Ipswich () is a port town and borough in Suffolk, England, of which it is the county town. The town is located in East Anglia about away from the mouth of the River Orwell and the North Sea. Ipswich is both on the Great Eastern Main Line ...
,
Mid Suffolk Mid Suffolk is a local government district in Suffolk, England. Its council was based in Needham Market until late 2017, and is currently sharing offices with the Suffolk County Council in Ipswich. The largest town of Mid Suffolk is Stowmarket. ...
, St Edmundsbury,
Suffolk Coastal Suffolk Coastal was a local government district in Suffolk, England. Its council was based in Melton, having moved from neighbouring Woodbridge in 2017. Other towns include Felixstowe, Framlingham, Leiston, Aldeburgh, and Saxmundham. ...
, and Waveney. This act also transferred some land near
Great Yarmouth Great Yarmouth (), often called Yarmouth, is a seaside town and unparished area in, and the main administrative centre of, the Borough of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, England; it straddles the River Yare and is located east of Norwich. A pop ...
to Norfolk. As introduced in Parliament, the Local Government Act would have transferred Newmarket and Haverhill to Cambridgeshire and
Colchester Colchester ( ) is a city in Essex, in the East of England. It had a population of 122,000 in 2011. The demonym is Colcestrian. Colchester occupies the site of Camulodunum, the first major city in Roman Britain and its first capital. Colch ...
from Essex; such changes were not included when the act was passed into law. In 2007, the
Department for Communities and Local Government The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), formerly the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), is a department of His Majesty's Government responsible for housing, communities, local governme ...
referred
Ipswich Borough Council Ipswich Borough Council, founded in 1974 after the abolition of the County Borough of Ipswich, governs the non-metropolitan district of Ipswich in Suffolk. It is the second tier of a two-tier system, fulfilling functions such as refuse collectio ...
's bid to become a new
unitary authority A unitary authority is a local authority responsible for all local government functions within its area or performing additional functions that elsewhere are usually performed by a higher level of sub-national government or the national governmen ...
to the Boundary Committee. The Boundary Committee consulted local bodies and reported in favour of the proposal. It was not, however, approved by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. Beginning in February 2008, the Boundary Committee again reviewed local government in the county, with two possible options emerging. One was that of splitting Suffolk into two unitary authorities – Ipswich and Felixstowe and Rural Suffolk; and the other, that of creating a single county-wide controlling authority – the "One Suffolk" option. In February 2010, the then-Minister
Rosie Winterton Dame Rosalie Winterton, (born 10 August 1958) is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Doncaster Central since 1997. In June 2017, Winterton became one of three Deputy Speakers in the House of Com ...
announced that no changes would be imposed on the structure of local government in the county as a result of the review, but that the government would be: "asking Suffolk councils and MPs to reach a consensus on what unitary solution they want through a countywide constitutional convention". Following the May 2010 general election, all further moves towards any of the suggested unitary solutions ceased on the instructions of the incoming
Coalition government A coalition government is a form of government in which political parties cooperate to form a government. The usual reason for such an arrangement is that no single party has achieved an absolute majority after an election, an atypical outcome in ...
. In 2018 it was determined that Forest Heath and St Edmundsbury would be merged to form a new West Suffolk district, while Waveney and Suffolk Coastal would similarly form a new East Suffolk district. These changes took effect on 1 April 2019.


Archaeology

West Suffolk, like nearby East Cambridgeshire, is renowned for
archaeological Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...
finds from the
Stone Age The Stone Age was a broad prehistoric period during which stone was widely used to make tools with an edge, a point, or a percussion surface. The period lasted for roughly 3.4 million years, and ended between 4,000 BC and 2,000 BC, with ...
, the
Bronze Age The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...
, and the
Iron Age The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age ( Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age ( Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostly ...
. Bronze Age artefacts have been found in the area between Mildenhall and West Row, in
Eriswell Eriswell is a village and civil parish of West Suffolk in the English county of Suffolk. About forty scattered archaeological finds have been made here, including Bronze Age battle axes, palstaves and rapiers. The greater part of these objects ...
and in Lakenheath. Many bronze objects, such as swords, spearheads, arrows, axes, palstaves, knives, daggers, rapiers, armour, decorative equipment (in particular for horses), and fragments of sheet bronze, are entrusted to St. Edmundsbury heritage service, housed at
West Stow West Stow is a small village and civil parish in West Suffolk, England. The village lies north of Bury St. Edmunds, south of Mildenhall and Thetford and west of the villages of Culford and Ingham in the area known as the Breckland. This ar ...
just outside Bury St. Edmunds. Other finds include traces of
cremation Cremation is a method of Disposal of human corpses, final disposition of a Cadaver, dead body through Combustion, burning. Cremation may serve as a funeral or post-funeral rite and as an alternative to burial. In some countries, including India ...
s and barrows. In the east of the county is
Sutton Hoo Sutton Hoo is the site of two early medieval cemeteries dating from the 6th to 7th centuries near the English town of Woodbridge. Archaeologists have been excavating the area since 1938, when a previously undisturbed ship burial containing ...
, the site of one of England's most significant
Anglo-Saxon The Anglo-Saxons were a cultural group who inhabited England in the Early Middle Ages. They traced their origins to settlers who came to Britain from mainland Europe in the 5th century. However, the ethnogenesis of the Anglo-Saxons happened wit ...
archaeological finds, a ship burial containing a collection of treasures including a sword of state,
helmet A helmet is a form of protective gear worn to protect the head. More specifically, a helmet complements the skull in protecting the human brain. Ceremonial or symbolic helmets (e.g., a policeman's helmet in the United Kingdom) without protect ...
, gold and silver bowls, jewellery and a
lyre The lyre () is a string instrument, stringed musical instrument that is classified by Hornbostel–Sachs as a member of the History of lute-family instruments, lute-family of instruments. In organology, a lyre is considered a yoke lute, since it ...
. In 1992 a famous
hoard A hoard or "wealth deposit" is an archaeological term for a collection of valuable objects or artifacts, sometimes purposely buried in the ground, in which case it is sometimes also known as a cache. This would usually be with the intention of ...
of late Roman gold and silver was discovered in the village of
Hoxne Hoxne ( ) is a village in the Mid Suffolk district of Suffolk, England, about five miles (8 km) east-southeast of Diss, Norfolk and south of the River Waveney. The parish is irregularly shaped, covering the villages of Hoxne, Cross Street ...
. It is still the largest
hoard A hoard or "wealth deposit" is an archaeological term for a collection of valuable objects or artifacts, sometimes purposely buried in the ground, in which case it is sometimes also known as a cache. This would usually be with the intention of ...
of its kind to have been discovered in Britain. While carrying out surveys before installing a pipeline in 2014, archaeologists for
Anglian Water Anglian Water is a water company that operates in the East of England. It was formed in 1989 under the partial privatisation of the water industry. It provides water supply, sewerage and sewage treatment to the area formerly the responsibility ...
discovered nine skeletons and four cremation pits, at Bardwell, Barnham, Pakenham and Rougham, all near Bury St Edmunds. Neolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman and medieval items were also unearthed, along with the 9 skeletons believed to be of the late or post-Roman era (AD 300–500). Experts said the 5-month project had recovered enough artefacts to fill half a shipping container, and that the discoveries had shed new light on their understanding of the development of small rural communities. A number of 6th century
Anglo-Saxon The Anglo-Saxons were a cultural group who inhabited England in the Early Middle Ages. They traced their origins to settlers who came to Britain from mainland Europe in the 5th century. However, the ethnogenesis of the Anglo-Saxons happened wit ...
"grub huts" were also found nearby, which are believed to be cellars beneath Saxon buildings. In 2019, an excavation of a 4th-century Roman cemetery in
Great Whelnetham Great Whelnetham (sometimes Great Welnetham) is a village and civil parish in the West Suffolk district of Suffolk in eastern England. Located around two miles south of Bury St Edmunds, in 2005 its population was 820. The parish also contains ...
uncovered unusual burial practices. Of 52 skeletons were found, a large number had been
decapitated Decapitation or beheading is the total separation of the head from the body. Such an injury is invariably fatal to humans and most other animals, since it deprives the brain of oxygenated blood, while all other organs are deprived of the i ...
, which archaeologists claimed gave new insight in to Roman traditions. The burial ground includes the remains of men, women and children who likely lived in a nearby settlement. The fact that up to 40% of the bodies were decapitated represents "quite a rare find". A survey in 2020 named Suffolk the third best place in the UK for aspiring archaeologists, and showed that the area was especially rich in finds from the Roman period, with over 1500 objects found in the preceding year. In July 2020,
metal detector A metal detector is an instrument that detects the nearby presence of metal. Metal detectors are useful for finding metal objects on the surface, underground, and under water. The unit itself, consist of a control box, and an adjustable shaft, ...
ist Luke Mahoney, found 1061 silver hammered coins estimated to be worth £100,000 in
Ipswich Ipswich () is a port town and borough in Suffolk, England, of which it is the county town. The town is located in East Anglia about away from the mouth of the River Orwell and the North Sea. Ipswich is both on the Great Eastern Main Line ...
. The coins dated back to the 15th–17th century, according to experts. In September 2020, archaeologists announced the discovery of an Anglo-Saxon cemetery with 17 cremations and 191 burials dating back to the 7th century in Oulton, near
Lowestoft Lowestoft ( ) is a coastal town and civil parish in the East Suffolk (district), East Suffolk district of Suffolk, England.OS Explorer Map OL40: The Broads: (1:25 000) : . As the List of extreme points of the United Kingdom, most easterly UK se ...
. The graves contained the remains of men, women and children, as well as artefacts including small iron knives and silver pennies, wrist clasps, strings of amber and glass beads. According to Andrew Peachey, who carried out the excavations, the skeletons had mostly vanished because of the highly acidic soil. They, fortunately, were preserved as brittle shapes and "sand silhouettes" in the sand.


Suffolk Pink

Villages and towns in Suffolk are renowned for historic pink-washed halls and cottages, which has become known far and wide as "Suffolk Pink". Decorative paint colours found in the county can range from a pale shell shade, to a deep blush brick colour. According to research, Suffolk Pink dates back to the
14th century As a means of recording the passage of time, the 14th century was a century lasting from 1 January 1301 ( MCCCI), to 31 December 1400 ( MCD). It is estimated that the century witnessed the death of more than 45 million lives from political and na ...
, where these shades were developed by local dyers by adding natural substances to a traditional
limewash Whitewash, or calcimine, kalsomine, calsomine, or lime paint is a type of paint made from slaked lime (calcium hydroxide, Ca(OH)2) or chalk calcium carbonate, (CaCO3), sometimes known as "whiting". Various other additives are sometimes used. ...
mix. Additives used in this process include pig or ox blood with
buttermilk Buttermilk is a fermented dairy drink. Traditionally, it was the liquid left behind after churning butter out of cultured cream. As most modern butter in western countries is not made with cultured cream but uncultured sweet cream, most m ...
,
elderberries ''Sambucus'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Adoxaceae. The various species are commonly called elder or elderberry. The genus was formerly placed in the honeysuckle family, Caprifoliaceae, but was reclassified as Adoxaceae due to ge ...
and
sloe ''Prunus spinosa'', called blackthorn or sloe, is a species of flowering plant in the rose family Rosaceae. The species is native to Europe, western Asia, and regionally in northwest Africa. It is locally naturalisation (biology), naturalized ...
juice. Locals and historians often state that a true Suffolk Pink should be a "deep dusky terracotta shade", rather than the more popular pastel hue of modern times. This has caused controversy in the past when home and business-owners alike have been reprimanded for using colours deemed incorrect, with some being forced to repaint to an acceptable shade. In 2013, famous chef
Marco Pierre White Marco Pierre White (born 11 December 1961) is a British chef, restaurateur, and television personality. He has been dubbed "the first celebrity chef" and the ''enfant terrible'' of the UK restaurant scene. In January 1995, aged 33, White became ...
had his 15th century hotel, The Angel, in Lavenham, decorated a shade of pink that was not traditional Suffolk Pink. He was required by local authorities to repaint. In another example of Suffolk taking its colours seriously, a home-owner in Lavenham was obligated to paint their
Grade 1 listed In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
cottage Suffolk Pink, to make it match a neighbouring property. The local council said it wanted all of the cottages on that particular part of the road to be the same colour, because they were a single building historically (300 years earlier). County landmarks that are painted Suffolk Pink include the cottages in front of St Mary's Church in the village of
Cavendish Cavendish may refer to: People * The House of Cavendish, a British aristocratic family * Margaret Cavendish (1623–1673), British poet, philosopher, and scientist * Cavendish (author) (1831–1899), pen name of Henry Jones, English au ...
. The historic Suffolk Pink colour has also inspired the name of a British
apple An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus '' Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancest ...
.


Geography

Located in the
East of England The East of England is one of the nine official regions of England. This region was created in 1994 and was adopted for statistics purposes from 1999. It includes the ceremonial counties of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, ...
,
much of Suffolk is low-lying, founded on
Pleistocene The Pleistocene ( , often referred to as the ''Ice age'') is the geological Epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 2,580,000 to 11,700 years ago, spanning the Earth's most recent period of repeated glaciations. Before a change was fina ...
sand Sand is a granular material composed of finely divided mineral particles. Sand has various compositions but is defined by its grain size. Sand grains are smaller than gravel and coarser than silt. Sand can also refer to a textural class ...
and
clay Clay is a type of fine-grained natural soil material containing clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolin, Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4). Clays develop plasticity when wet, due to a molecular film of water surrounding the clay pa ...
s. These rocks are relatively unresistant and the coast is eroding rapidly.
Coastal defences Coastal management is defence against flooding and erosion, and techniques that stop erosion to claim lands. Protection against rising sea levels in the 21st century is crucial, as sea level rise accelerates due to climate change. Changes in ...
have been used to protect several towns, but several cliff-top houses have been lost to
coastal erosion Coastal erosion is the loss or displacement of land, or the long-term removal of sediment and rocks along the coastline due to the action of waves, currents, tides, wind-driven water, waterborne ice, or other impacts of storms. The landwar ...
and others are under threat. The continuing protection of the coastline and the
estuaries An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environme ...
, including the Blyth, Alde and Deben, has been, and remains, a matter of considerable discussion. The coastal strip to the East contains an area of
heathland A heath () is a shrubland habitat found mainly on free-draining infertile, acidic soils and characterised by open, low-growing woody vegetation. Moorland is generally related to high-ground heaths with—especially in Great Britain—a coole ...
known as "The Sandlings" which runs almost the full length of the coastline. Suffolk is also home to nature reserves, such as the
RSPB The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a charitable organisation registered in England and Wales and in Scotland. It was founded in 1889. It works to promote conservation and protection of birds and the wider environment th ...
site at
Minsmere Minsmere is a place in the English county of Suffolk. It is located on the North Sea coast around north of Leiston and south-east of Westleton within the Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB. It is the site of the Minsmere RSPB reserve and the ori ...
, and
Trimley Marshes Trimley Marshes is a 77 hectare nature reserve west of Trimley St Mary, on the outskirts of Felixstowe in Suffolk. It is managed by the Suffolk Wildlife Trust. It is in the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Orwell E ...
, a wetland under the protection of
Suffolk Wildlife Trust Suffolk Wildlife Trust (SWT) describes itself as the county's "nature charity – the only organisation dedicated wholly to safeguarding Suffolk's wildlife and countryside." It is a registered charity, and its headquarters is at Brooke House in ...
. The clay plateau inland, deeply intercut by rivers, is often referred to as 'High Suffolk'. The west of the county lies on more resistant
Cretaceous The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 79 million years, it is the longest geological period of ...
chalk. This chalk is responsible for a sweeping tract of largely downland landscapes that stretches from Dorset in the south west to Dover in the south east and north through
East Anglia East Anglia is an area in the East of England, often defined as including the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. The name derives from the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the East Angles, a people whose name originated in Anglia, in ...
to the Yorkshire Wolds. The chalk is less easily eroded so forms the only significant hills in the county. The highest point in the county is Great Wood Hill, with an elevation of . It is the highest point of the Newmarket Ridge and is near the villages of Rede, Suffolk, Rede and Chedburgh. The county flower is the oxlip.


Demography

According to estimates by the Office for National Statistics, the population of Suffolk in 2014 was 738,512, split almost evenly between males and females. Roughly 22% of the population was aged 65 or older, and 90.84% were "White British". Historically, the county's population has mostly been employed as agricultural workers. An 1835 survey showed Suffolk to have 4,526 occupiers of land employing labourers, 1,121 occupiers not employing labourers, 33,040 labourers employed in agriculture, 676 employed in manufacture, 18,167 employed in retail trade or handicraft, 2,228 'capitalists, bankers etc.', 5,336 labourers (non-agricultural), 4,940 other males aged over 20, 2,032 male servants and 11,483 female servants. The same publication records the total population of the county at 296,304. Most English counties have nicknames for people from that county, such as a Tyke (dialect), Tyke from Yorkshire and a Yellowbelly (Lincolnshire), Yellowbelly from Lincolnshire. A traditional nicknames for people from Suffolk is 'Suffolk Fair-Maids' referring to the supposed beauty of its female inhabitants in the Middle Ages. Another is 'Silly Suffolk', often assumed to be derived from the Old English word wiktionary:sælig, sælig in the meaning 'blessed' referring to the long history of Christianity in the county. However, use of the term 'Silly Suffolk' can actually be dated to no earlier than 1819, and its alleged medieval origins have been shown to be mythical. There are several towns in the county with Ipswich being the largest and most populous. At the time of the 2011 census, a population of 730,000 lived in the county with 133,384 living in Ipswich. The table below shows all towns with over 20,000 inhabitants.


Economy

The majority of agriculture in Suffolk is either agronomy, arable or Mixed farming, mixed. Farm sizes vary from anything around 80 acres (32 hectares) to over 8,000. Soil types vary from heavy clays to light sands. Crops grown include winter wheat, barley, winter barley, sugar beet, rapeseed, oilseed rape, winter and spring beans and linseed, although smaller areas of rye and oats can be found growing in areas with lighter soils along with a variety of vegetables. The continuing importance of agriculture in the county is reflected in the Suffolk Show, which is held annually in May at Ipswich. Although latterly somewhat changed in nature, this remains primarily an agricultural show. Well-known companies in Suffolk include Greene King Brewery, Greene King and Branston (food), Branston Pickle in Bury St Edmunds. Birds Eye has its largest UK factory in Lowestoft, where all its meat products and frozen vegetables are processed. Huntley & Palmers biscuit company has a base in Sudbury. The UK horse racing industry is based in Newmarket. There are two United States Air Force, USAF bases in the west of the county close to the A11 road (England), A11. Sizewell B nuclear power station is at Sizewell on the coast near Leiston. Bernard Matthews Farms have some processing units in the county, specifically Holton, Suffolk, Holton. Southwold is the home of Adnams Brewery. The Port of Felixstowe is the largest containerization, container port in the United Kingdom. Other ports are at Port of Lowestoft, Lowestoft and Ipswich, run by Associated British Ports. BT Group plc, BT has its main research and development facility at Martlesham Heath. Below is a chart of regional gross value added of Suffolk at current basic prices published by ''Office for National Statistics'' with figures in millions of British Pounds Sterling.


Education


Primary, secondary and further education

Suffolk has a comprehensive education system with fourteen independent schools. Unusually for the UK, some of Suffolk had a Three-tier education, 3-tier school system in place with primary schools (ages 5–9), Middle Schools in England, middle schools (ages 9–13) and upper schools (ages 13–16). However, a 2006 Suffolk County Council study concluded that Suffolk should move to the 2-tier school system used in the majority of the UK. For the purpose of conversion to 2-tier, the 3-tier system was divided into 4 geographical area groupings and corresponding phases. The first phase was the conversion of schools in Lowestoft and Haverhill in 2011, followed by schools in north and west Suffolk in 2012. The remainder of the changeovers to 2-tier took place from 2013, for those schools that stayed within Local government control, and did not become Academy (English school), Academies and/or Free school (England), free schools. The majority of schools thus now (2019) operate the more common primary to high school (11–16). Many of the county's upper schools have a sixth form and most further education colleges in the county offer A-level courses. In terms of school population, Suffolk's individual schools are large with the Ipswich district with the largest school population and Forest Heath the smallest, with just two schools. In 2013, a letter said that "...nearly a fifth of the schools inspected were judged inadequate. This is unacceptable and now means that Suffolk has a higher proportion of pupils educated in inadequate schools than both the regional and national averages." The Royal Hospital School near Ipswich is the largest independent boarding school in Suffolk. Other boarding schools within Suffolk include Barnardiston Hall Preparatory School, Culford School, Finborough School, Framlingham College, Ipswich High School, Suffolk, Ipswich High School, Ipswich School, Orwell Park School, Saint Felix School and Woodbridge School. The Castle Partnership Academy Trust in Haverhill is the county's only All-through Academy Chain. Comprising Castle Manor Academy and Place Farm Primary Academy, the Academy Trust supports all-through education and provides opportunities for young people aged 3 to 18. Sixth form colleges in the county include Lowestoft Sixth Form College and One (sixth form college), One in Ipswich. Suffolk is home to four further education colleges: Lowestoft College, Easton & Otley College, Suffolk New College (Ipswich) and West Suffolk College (Bury St Edmunds).


Tertiary education

The county has one university, with branches spread across different towns. University of Suffolk was, prior to August 2016, known as University Campus Suffolk. Up until it became independent it was a collaboration between the University of Essex and the University of East Anglia which sponsored its formation and validated its degrees.University Campus Suffolk
, University of Essex. Retrieved 28 September 2012.

, ''Daily Telegraph'', 21 June 2011. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
UOS accepted its first students in September 2007. Until then Suffolk was one of only four Counties of England, counties in England which did not have a university campus. The University of Suffolk was granted Taught Degree Awarding Powers by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education in November 2015, and in May 2016 it was awarded University status by the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, Privy Council and renamed The University of Suffolk on 1 August 2016. The university operates at five sites with its central hub in
Ipswich Ipswich () is a port town and borough in Suffolk, England, of which it is the county town. The town is located in East Anglia about away from the mouth of the River Orwell and the North Sea. Ipswich is both on the Great Eastern Main Line ...
. Others include
Lowestoft Lowestoft ( ) is a coastal town and civil parish in the East Suffolk (district), East Suffolk district of Suffolk, England.OS Explorer Map OL40: The Broads: (1:25 000) : . As the List of extreme points of the United Kingdom, most easterly UK se ...
, Bury St. Edmunds, and
Great Yarmouth Great Yarmouth (), often called Yarmouth, is a seaside town and unparished area in, and the main administrative centre of, the Borough of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, England; it straddles the River Yare and is located east of Norwich. A pop ...
in Norfolk.University Campus Suffolk
, University of East Anglia. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
The university operates two academic faculties and in had students. Some 30% of the student body are classed as mature students and 68% of university students are female.


Culture


Arts

Founded in 1948 by Benjamin Britten, the annual Aldeburgh Festival is one of the UK's major classical music festivals. Originating in Aldeburgh, it has been held at the nearby Snape Maltings since 1967. Since 2006, Henham Park, has been home to the annual Latitude Festival. This mainly open-air festival, which has grown considerably in size and scope, includes popular music, comedy, poetry and literary events. The FolkEast festival is held at Glemham Hall in August and attracts international acoustic, folk and roots musicians whilst also championing local businesses, heritage and crafts. In 2015 it was also home to the first instrumental festival of musical instruments and makers. More recently, LeeStock Music Festival has been held in Sudbury, Suffolk, Sudbury. A celebration of the county, "Suffolk Day", was instigated in 2017.


Dialect

The Suffolk dialect is very distinctive. Epenthesis and yod-dropping is common, along with non-conjugation of verbs.


Sport


Football

The county's sole professional Association football, football club is Ipswich Town F.C., Ipswich Town. Formed in 1878, the club were Football League First Division, Football League champions in 1962 in association football, 1961–62, FA Cup winners in 1978 in association football, 1977–78 and UEFA Cup winners in 1981 in association football, 1980–81; as of the 2022–23 in English football, 2022–23 season, Ipswich Town play in EFL League One, League One, the third tier of English football. The club has as part of its Crest (sports), crest the Suffolk Punch, a now endangered breed of draught horse native to the county. The next highest ranked teams in Suffolk are Leiston F.C., Leiston and Needham Market F.C., Needham Market, who both participate in the Southern League Premier Division Central, the seventh tier of English football.


Horse racing

The town of Newmarket is the headquarters of Horseracing in Great Britain, British horseracing – home to the largest cluster of training yards in the country and many key horse racing organisations including the National Stud, and Newmarket Racecourse. Tattersalls bloodstock auctioneers and the National Horseracing Museum are also in the town. Point to point (steeplechase), Point to point racing takes place at Higham, Babergh, Higham and Ampton.


Speedway

Motorcycle speedway, Speedway racing has been staged in Suffolk since at least the 1950s, following the construction of the Foxhall Stadium, just outside Ipswich, home of the Ipswich Witches. The Witches are currently members of the Premier League (speedway), Premier League, the UK's first division. National League (speedway), National League team Mildenhall Fen Tigers are also from Suffolk.


Cricket

Suffolk County Cricket Club, Suffolk C.C.C. compete in the Eastern Division of the Minor Counties Cricket Championship, Minor Counties Championship. The club has won the championship three times outright and has shared the title one other time as well as winning the MCCA Knockout Trophy once. Home games are played in Bury St Edmunds, Copdock, Exning, Framlingham, Ipswich and Mildenhall.


Suffolk in popular culture

Novels set in Suffolk include parts of ''David Copperfield'' by Charles Dickens, ''The Fourth Protocol'', by Frederick Forsyth, ''Unnatural Causes (detective novel), Unnatural Causes'' by P.D. James, Dodie Smith's ''The Hundred and One Dalmatians'', ''The Rings of Saturn'' by W. G. Sebald, and among Arthur Ransome's children's books, ''We Didn't Mean to Go to Sea, Coot Club'' and ''Secret Water'' take place in part in the county. Roald Dahl's short story The Mildenhall Treasure (story), "The Mildenhall Treasure" is set in Mildenhall. A TV series about a British antiques dealer, ''Lovejoy'', was filmed in various locations in Suffolk. The reality TV series ''Space Cadets (television hoax), Space Cadets'' was filmed in Rendlesham Forest, although the producers fooled participants into believing that they were in Russia. Several towns and villages in the county have been used for location filming of other television programmes and cinema films. These include the BBC Four TV series ''Detectorists'', an episode of ''Kavanagh QC,'' and the films ''Iris (2001 film), Iris and'' ''Drowning by Numbers''. During the period 2017–2018, a total of £3.8million was spent by film crews in Suffolk The Rendlesham Forest Incident is one of the most famous UFO events in England and is sometimes referred to as "Britain's Roswell UFO incident, Roswell". The song "Castle on the Hill" by Ed Sheeran was referred to by him as "a love letter to Suffolk", with lyrical reference to his hometown of Framlingham and Framlingham Castle. George Orwell's Knype Hill is the fictional name for Southwold in A Clergyman's Daughter, while the character of Dorothy Hare is modelled on Brenda Salkeld, the gym mistress at St Felix School in the early 1930s. Richard Curtis and Danny Boyle's 2019 romantic comedy Yesterday (2019 film), ''Yesterday'' was filmed throughout Suffolk, using Halesworth, Dunwich, Shingle Street and Latitude Festival as locations. The 2021 film ''The Dig (2021 film), The Dig'', based on the excavation of Sutton Hoo in the 1930s and starring Ralph Fiennes and Carey Mulligan was mostly shot on location. The 2022 series "The Witchfinder (TV series), The Witchfinder" is a BBC Two sitcom based on the journey of Matthew Hopkins, the Witchfinder general, and a suspected witch through
East Anglia East Anglia is an area in the East of England, often defined as including the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. The name derives from the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the East Angles, a people whose name originated in Anglia, in ...
and many Suffolk towns including Stowmarket and Framlingham during the Witch trials of the English Civil War.


Notable people

In the arts, Suffolk is noted for having been home to two of England's best regarded painters, Thomas Gainsborough and John Constable – the Stour Valley area is branded as "Constable Country" – and one of its most noted composers, Benjamin Britten. Other artistic figures connected with Suffolk include: Sir Alfred Munnings, John Nash (artist), John Nash, sculptress Dame Elizabeth Frink, Cedric Morris who ran the East Anglian School of Painting and Drawing, East Anglian School, Philip Wilson Steer, and the cartoonist Carl Giles (a bronze statue of his character "Grandma" is located in Ipswich town centre); the poets George Crabbe and Robert Bloomfield were both born in Suffolk; farmer and writer Adrian Bell, writer and Literary editor, editor Ronald Blythe, V. S. Pritchett, the authors Ralph Hammond Innes and Ruth Rendell. The writer M. M. Kaye spend her last years in Suffolk and died in Lavenham. Actors Ralph Fiennes and Bob Hoskins, actress and singer Kerry Ellis, musician and record producer Brian Eno, multi-award winning singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran and sopranos Laura Wright (singer), Laura Wright and Christina Johnston are all connected with the county. Glam rock band and three time Brit Award winners The Darkness (band), The Darkness hail from Lowestoft. Hip hop music, Hip hop DJ Tim Westwood is originally from Suffolk and the influential DJ and radio presenter John Peel made the county his home. Contemporary painter Maggi Hambling, was born and resides in Suffolk. Norah Lofts, author of best-selling historical novels, lived for decades in Bury St. Edmunds. Peter Hall (director), Sir Peter Hall the founder of the Royal Shakespeare Company was born in Bury St. Edmunds, and Sir Trevor Nunn the theatre director was born in Ipswich. The actor Sir John Mills spent periods of his youth in the county. The designer David Hicks (designer), David Hicks lived for a number of years in Suffolk. Model Claudia Schiffer and her husband, the film director Matthew Vaughn, have owned a house in Suffolk since 2002. Suffolk's contributions to sport include Formula One magnate Bernie Ecclestone and former England national football team, England association football, footballers Terry Butcher, Kieron Dyer and Matthew Upson. Due to Newmarket being the centre of British horse racing many jockeys have settled in the county, including Lester Piggott and Frankie Dettori. MMA fighter Arnold Allen was born in Suffolk. Fabio Wardley English heavyweight champion is also from Suffolk. Significant ecclesiastical figures from Suffolk include Simon Sudbury, a former archbishop of Canterbury; former Lord Chancellor, Lord High Chancellor Thomas Cardinal Wolsey, Cardinal Thomas Wolsey hailed from Ipswich; and author, poet and Benedictine monk John Lydgate. Richard Hakluyt the great recorder of exploration and voyages was a clergyman in Wetheringsett-cum-Brockford, Wetheringsett. Edward FitzGerald (poet), Edward FitzGerald, the first translator of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, was born in Bredfield. The Abolitionism, abolitionists Thomas Clarkson and Richard Dykes Alexander both lived near Ipswich. The agriculturist Arthur Young (agriculturist), Arthur Young had a long-standing association with the county. Other significant persons from Suffolk include the great Landscape architecture, landscape designer Humphry Repton, suffragette Dame Millicent Garrett Fawcett; the captain of ''HMS Beagle'', Robert FitzRoy; Witch-finder General Matthew Hopkins; educationist Hugh Catchpole; and Britain's first female physician and mayor, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson. The tuberculosis pioneer Dr. Jane Harriet Walker, Jane Walker ran the East Anglian Sanatorium above the banks of the River Stour, Suffolk, River Stour, and charity leader Sue Ryder settled in Suffolk and based her charity in
Cavendish Cavendish may refer to: People * The House of Cavendish, a British aristocratic family * Margaret Cavendish (1623–1673), British poet, philosopher, and scientist * Cavendish (author) (1831–1899), pen name of Henry Jones, English au ...
. The popular Victorian novelist Henry Seton Merriman lived and died in the village of Melton, Suffolk, Melton. Between 1932 and 1939 George Orwell lived at his parents' home in the coastal town of Southwold, where a mural of the author now dominates the entrance to Southwold Pier. He is said to have chosen his pen name from Suffolk's River Orwell. Arthur Ransome lived alongside the river during the 1930s, sailing his boats from Pin Mill and along the Shotley Peninsula.


Edmund of East Anglia

King of East Anglia and Christian martyr Edmund the Martyr, St Edmund (after whom the town of
Bury St Edmunds Bury St Edmunds (), commonly referred to locally as Bury, is a historic market, cathedral town and civil parish in Suffolk, England.OS Explorer map 211: Bury St.Edmunds and Stowmarket Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher:Ordnance Survey – Southampton ...
is named) was killed by invading Danes in the year 869. St Edmund was the patron saint of England until he was replaced by St George in the 13th century. 2006 saw the failure of a campaign to have St Edmund named as the patron saint of England, but in 2007 he was named patron saint of Suffolk, with St Edmund's Day falling on 20 November. His Flag of Suffolk, flag is flown in Suffolk on that day.


Gallery

File:Ickworth House.jpg, Ickworth House close to
Bury St Edmunds Bury St Edmunds (), commonly referred to locally as Bury, is a historic market, cathedral town and civil parish in Suffolk, England.OS Explorer map 211: Bury St.Edmunds and Stowmarket Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher:Ordnance Survey – Southampton ...
File:Southwold maisons phare.jpg, Southwold, a popular seaside town File:Architectural Detail - Lavenham - Suffolk - England - 09 (28226197172).jpg, Lavenham is a preserved medieval village File:St Edmundsbury Cathedral - geograph.org.uk - 1292400.jpg, St Edmundsbury Cathedral File:Bank of the River Orwell - geograph.org.uk - 1592162.jpg, Bank of the River Orwell File:Supposed UFO landing site - Rendlesham Forest - geograph.org.uk - 263104.jpg, Rendlesham Forest File:RS1497 Waterfront location (32)-lpr.jpg, Ipswich Waterfront, once the most important dock in the kingdom File:Beach Front, Aldeburgh - geograph.org.uk - 959856.jpg, Aldeburgh beachfront File:Kersey - Ancient Cottages.jpg, Ancient Cottages in Kersey, Suffolk, Kersey File:Orford Ness (National Trust) and the lighthouse - geograph.org.uk - 261134.jpg, Lighthouse at Orford Ness, a national trust site


See also

*List of places of interest in Suffolk *History of Suffolk *Healthcare in Suffolk *Suffolk (UK Parliament constituency) *Suffolk Police and Crime Commissioner *Suffolk Coast and Heaths *Lord Lieutenant of Suffolk, List of Lords Lieutenant of Suffolk *High Sheriff of Suffolk, List of High Sheriffs of Suffolk *Suffolk Youth Orchestra


Notes


References


Further reading

*William Wilkinson Addison, William Addison, ''Suffolk'' (County Books series, The County Books), Robert Hale (publishers), Robert Hale, 1950. *Mark Bailey, ''Medieval Suffolk: An Economic and Social History, 1200–1500'', The Boydell Press, 2007. *Adrian Bell, ''A Suffolk Harvest'', The Bodley Head, 1956. *Adrian Bell, ''Corduroy'', Cobden-Sanderson, 1930. *Adrian Bell, ''Men and the Fields'', Batsford Books, B.T. Batsford, 1939. *Ronald Blythe, ''Akenfield: Portrait of an English Village'', Allen Lane (imprint), Allen Lane, 1969. *Henry Munro Cautley, ''Suffolk Churches and their Treasures'', B.T. Batsford, 1937; reprinted Boydell, 1954. *Thomas Kitson Cromwell, ''Excursions in the County of Suffolk'', 2 vols., Longmans, 1818 & 1819. *Daniel Defoe, ''Tour through the Eastern Counties'' (1722), East Anglian Magazine ed., 1949. *Sarah E. Doig, ''The A-Z of Curious Suffolk: Strange Stories of Mysteries, Crimes and Eccentrics'', The History Press, 2016. *Sarah E. Doig, ''The Little History of Suffolk'', The History Press, 2018. *Robert Halliday, ''Suffolk Strange But True'', The History Press, 2008. *M. R. James, ''Suffolk and Norfolk: A Perambulation of the Two Counties with Notices of their History and their Ancient Buildings'', J.M. Dent & Sons, 1930. *Allan Jobson, ''A Suffolk Calendar'', Robert Hale, 1966; illustrated by Beryl Irving. *Allan Jobson, ''A Window in Suffolk'', Robert Hale, 1962; illus. Beryl Irving. *Allan Jobson, ''Something of Old Suffolk'', Robert Hale, 1978. *Allan Jobson, ''Suffolk Miscellany'', Robert Hale, 1975. *Allan Jobson, ''Suffolk Remembered'', Robert Hale, 1969. *Allan Jobson, ''Suffolk Villages'', Robert Hale, 1971. *Allan Jobson, ''Under a Suffolk Sky'', Robert Hale, 1964; illus. Beryl Irving. *D. P. Mortlock, ''The Guide to Suffolk Churches'', Lutterworth Press, 2nd rev. ed. 2009. *Arthur Mee, ''Suffolk. Our Farthest East'' (The King's England series), Hodder and Stoughton, 1942; reprinted. *Nikolaus Pevsner, James Bettley (ed.), ''Suffolk: East'' (The Buildings of England), Yale University Press, rev. ed. 2015. *Nikolaus Pevsner, James Bettley (ed.), ''Suffolk: West'' (The Buildings of England), Yale University Press, rev. ed. 2015. *Steven Plunkett, ''Suffolk in Anglo-Saxon Times'', The History Press, 2005. *W. M. Roberts, ''Lost Country Houses of Suffolk'', The Boydell Press, 2010. *Eric Sandon, ''Suffolk Houses: A Study of Domestic Architecture'', Antique Collector's Club, 1977. *Norman Scarfe, ''Suffolk. A Shell Guide'' (Shell Guides), Faber and Faber, 1960; reprinted. *Norman Scarfe, ''Suffolk in the Middle Ages'', The Boydell Press, 2007. *Norman Scarfe, ''The Suffolk Landscape'', Phillimore & Co., new ed. 2002. *W. G. Sebald, ''The Rings of Saturn'', Harvill Press, English ed. 1998. *Neil R. Storey, ''The Little Book of Suffolk'', The History Press, 2013; 2nd ed. 2020. *Alfred Suckling, ''The History and Antiquities of the County of Suffolk'', printed for the author, 1846. *Josephine Walpole, ''Suffolk Artists of the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries'', Antique Collector's Club, 2009. *Peter Warner, ''The Origins of Suffolk'', Manchester University Press, 1996. *Derek Wilson, ''A Short History of Suffolk'', B.T. Batsford, 1977. *Pip Wright, ''I Read it in the Local Rag: Selections from Suffolk and Norfolk Papers 1701-1900'', Poppyland, 2006.


External links


Suffolk County Council

BBC Suffolk
*
Images of Suffolk
at the English Heritage Archive {{Authority control Suffolk, Non-metropolitan counties Kingdom of East Anglia Counties of England established in antiquity