The village is located 2.3 miles (3.7km) north-east of Bungay and 13 miles (21km) south-east of Norwich, along the River Waveney. The majority of the population lies in the east of the parish in Kirby Row.
History
Ellingham's name is of Anglo-Saxon origin and derives from the Old English for either Ella's homestead or village or a settlement with an abundance of eels.[1]
Archaeological evidence suggests that Ellingham was the site of several roughly five Roman kilns, one of the kilns was operated by Regalis, who moved to the parish from Camulodunum.[2]
Ellingham Mill was in operation from the Twelfth Century to 1964, grinding crops into either flour or animal feed. The mill still stands today and is awaiting a conservation plan from Norfolk Heritage. In the late Nineteenth Century, Ellingham Mill was the site of the grim discovery of the bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Harlev of Beccles in the River Waveney, the official inquest ruled that the deaths were the result of suicide. Furthermore, the mill was owned and operated by Hovis from 1947 to 1949.[4]
Ellingham was also the site of the discovery of mid-Seventeenth Century firearm[5] with a pillbox being installed on the bridge crossing the River Waveney during the Second World War.[6]
Geography
According to the 2021 census, Ellingham has a total population of 602 people which demonstrates an increase from the 554 people listed in the 2011 census.[7]
Ellingham's parish church is dedicated to Saint Mary and dates from the Nineteenth Century. St. Mary's is located on Geldeston Road and has been Grade I listed since 1960.[8]
Ellingham Hall is an Eighteenth Century manor house built in the Georgian style and was first inhabited Rev. William Johnson. Today, the hall operates as an organic farm, wedding venue and shooting venue. Today, the hall is owned by Vaughan Smith who infamously offered refuge to Julian Assange between 2010 and 2011.
Notable Residents
Vaughan Smith- (born 1963) soldier, farmer and journalist, lived in Ellingham Hall.
Julian Assange- (born 1971) Australian publisher and activist, lived in Ellingham Hall.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
