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A Short History of Sudbury Suffolk by Steve Locke

September 2, 2009 | Countries, Travel Guide

A charming little market town standing on the River Stour in Suffolk, England, Sudbury is an ancient place with a history stretching back to Saxon times. It is of course possible that there were settlements in the Sudbury area long before this, but the first written record of the town is in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles of the 8th century AD, when the town was listed as Suthberie.

After the Norman conquest of Britain, William the Conqueror (William I), ordered the compilation of the Domesday Book, in which all the towns and villages of his new kingdom would be recorded. In this book Sudbury was listed as a market town, so it would have already been important by this time.

During the reign of Edward III, Sudbury became involved in the weaving industry, a trade brought to the town by Flemish immigrants. This became an important industry for the town and it prospered as a result for many centuries to come.

In later years Sudbury became a significant centre for art, with a number of famous artists working in and around the area. One of the most famous of these was Thomas Gainsborough, who was actually born in Sudbury in 1727. Another famous artist, well known for his landscapes and views of the River Stour was John Constable (1776-1837).

Worth a visit in and around Sudbury is Gainsborough House, birthplace of Thomas Gainsborough and now a museum dedicated to his life and work, the Clare Castle Country Park, close to the town of Clare, just outside Sudbury, and Crooked House Gallery.

This article on the history of Sudbury, Suffolk was written by Steve Locke. Steve now lives in Spain, but often travels back to his native England, and is currently working on a website about many of its towns and villages. You can find more information about Sudbury here: http://www.my-towns.co.uk/sudbury-map.html or read about other Suffolk towns here: http://www.my-towns.co.uk/suffolk-map.html with such places as Newmarket and Ipswich to read about.

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