England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Sutton All Saints

The Parish

The parish of Sutton lies in southeastern Suffolk about 3 miles southeast of the small port of Woodbridge and sitting on the eastern banks of the estuarine section of the River Deben. Sutton sits on the B1083 road which connects Woodbridge to the coast at Felixstowe Ferry. Sutton is a fairly linear village largely built along that road. Sutton is, of course, famous for being the site of the Saxon ship burial at Sutton Hoo, that site being some 2 miles to the north. The sandy soils which preserved the grave goods of that Saxon king were poor for arable farming so Sutton's economy would have been dominated by sheep, supplemented by rabbits warrenries as well as exploiting the nearby estuary for fish, shellfish & wildfowl. The village sits just over a half mile east of the foreshore and what drainage there is makes its way underground through the porous bed rock. Sutton is sited at around 20 metres above the sea and land is at this height or within 10 metres of it for many miles. Sutton parish was one of the larger in Suffolk, the poor quality heathland not allowing a more dense settlement pattern to arise, it covered 7,000 acres and would have supported a population of around 700 parishioners. In Domesday times Sutton was shared by 4 landholders, the greater part in the hands of one Roger Malet whilst smaller holdings were held by Count Alan of Brittany, Ely Abbey and Hervey of Bourges. Collectively the parish could offer 18 ploughs together with scattered small meadows.

The Church

All Saints' church sits at the notional centre of Sutton accessed by a short unmade lane signed heading eastward from the B1083, the lane starts a couple of hundred yards north of the Plough Inn. Sadly All Saints has met its share of disasters over the century, badly damaged by a fire in 1616 the damaged tower eventually collapsed in 1642 leaving just the nave & chancel. Given the damage it is not surprising that little original dating evidence remains from the immediate repairs of the 17th century through to modern restorations by the Victorians in both 1859 & 1876. A single Decorated style window in the northern chancel wall is characteristic of the period circa 1300 so perhaps this marks the date of the church. The church sits less than 100 metres along its lane behind a low brick wall, a few evergreens dot the churchyard but do not unduly restrict photography.