Somersham (also known as Lower Somersham) is a village and
civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties, or their combined form, the unitary authorit ...
in the
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. ...
district of
Suffolk in eastern
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 b ...
, approximately northwest of
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 ...
, with a population of 710 (2005).
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Amenities
There are two churches in the village: the St. Mary's Parish Church (OS grid TM0948), built in the early part of the 14th century and located just off Main Road in the southeast part of the village; and a Baptist Chapel in the northwest part.
There remains one operational public house, 'The Duke of Marlborough', located on Main Road. Of the earlier pubs, the 'King's Head' (OS grid TM 085 486) and the 'Griffin' (OS grid TM 090 485) were both closed in the early 20th century and converted to residential use.
The village is served by Somersham Primary School and a new village hall. The earlier Post Office and small shop closed in 2005, but a community shop opened in a purpose-built building in July 2012. Other services include a hair salon and a garage.
Notable features
Somersham is situated in a relatively (for East Anglia) pronounced valley. There is a small stream flowing to the north of the village field parallel to Main Road.
Tudor Grange (OS grid TM0848) are a series of traditional timber-framed 16th-century buildings on the northwest side of the village.
References
External links
Parish Council websiteParish Magazine on lineThe Duke of Marlborogh public house
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Villages in Suffolk
Civil parishes in Suffolk
Mid Suffolk District