Suffolk ~ England

The county of Suffolk is situated on the North Sea coast to the east of England. It has no cities and Ipswich is its county town. Suffolk shares county borders with Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex. The area that now forms most of Suffolk was known to have been settled by the Iceni tribe of ancient Britons. They successfully dominated the area until the arrival of the Romans in the 1st century. Under their Queen Boudicca they resisted the invaders and destroyed the Roman settlements at Camulodunum and Londinium, but were eventually defeated and displaced. The Romans remained in the region for some centuries and it became the province of Flavia Cæsariensis. The county retains many signs of this occupation particularly at Packenham where a tessellated pavement was discovered in the 19th century. When the Romans departed, the area was settled by Angles from northern Germany. It is from these people that the name England (Angle Land) is thought to have come. The county gets its own name from these people who were known as the Suth Folchi or South Folk - hence Suffolk. There were many conflicts between these people and marauding Danish invaders. One of the most noteworthy was at Hoxne in the 9th century when the Danes took the local Angle King Edmund, prisoner. He refused to renounce his Christianity and was killed. His body was subsequently interred at a holy site nearby which was then known as Bury St Edmunds in honour of the martyred King. This has become a major town within the county.

The area's turbulent history continued with the arrival of the Normans. Their occupation of the territory was fiercely resisted by the local inhabitants forcing the Conqueror to devote massive resources to crush them into submission. The remains of the numerous Norman fortifications can still be seen throughout the county.

Geography

Much of Suffolk is low-lying and flat. It is a large county, occupying an area of about 1,500 square miles and has a long North Sea coastline that varies from shingle and sand beaches to low crumbling sand cliffs. Despite the introduction of sea defences, the coastline has been badly eroded over the centuries, leading to many salt wetlands and inlets, much favoured by wildfowl and waders of all descriptions and is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The countryside inland is a mixture of heath and meadow, much of which is under cultivation. The county is dotted with countless small communities. In fact it is said that no-one knows the total number of hamlets in the county. Despite this, Suffolk is underpopulated with an estimated population of 640,000 people and is a favoured retirement area.

Industry

Suffolk has always been heavily reliant on its agriculture. Cereals and sugar beet are widely grown. The county is also famed for its connection with horses and racing. The Suffolk Punch work horse was (and is still) bred in the county and Newmarket has been the centre of British horse racing since the early 18th century. Tourism is a major factor in the economy of the county with many people from all over the globe coming to visit the birdlife of the coastal wetlands as well as Suffolk's 'Constable Country' where John Constable painted many of his most famous works.

Cities, towns and villages within Suffolk