Lakenheath

Last updated

Lakenheath
St Mary the Virgin Lakenheath.JPG
Church of St Mary the Virgin
Lakenheath Hotel 2.JPG
Goward house
Suffolk UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Lakenheath
Location within Suffolk
Population4,691 (2011 Census) [1]
OS grid reference TL715825
•  London 80.72 from High Street to Parliament Square
Civil parish
  • Lakenheath
District
Shire county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town Brandon
Postcode district IP27
Dialling code 01842
Police Suffolk
Fire Suffolk
Ambulance East of England
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Suffolk
52°24′49″N0°31′21″E / 52.4136°N 0.5226°E / 52.4136; 0.5226

Lakenheath is a village and civil parish in the West Suffolk district of Suffolk in eastern England. It has a population of 4,691 according to the 2011 Census, and is situated close to the county boundaries of both Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, and at the meeting point of The Fens and the Breckland natural environments.

Contents

Lakenheath is host to the largest United States Air Force base in the United Kingdom, RAF Lakenheath.

Lakenheath Fen Nature Reserve, created in 1996, restored wetlands from agricultural fields that were growing carrots. In May 2007, it was reported that cranes were nesting in the site for the first time since the fen lands were drained in the 16th century. [2]

The village has a single Victorian primary school, constructed in 1878, which was extended in 1969, again in 2004 and most recently in 2010/2011. [3] There is a small shopping street on which a variety of multi-cultural shops, restaurants, and services are available. [4] Horse-riding services are also present. The village has a modern library with various amenities. [5] Along this main road there is a small hotel, skate park, and a children's play park.

Lakenheath has two pubs though historically it had at least sixteen more. The Plough Inn (also known as the Wok n Rock) is a spacious flint-faced 19th-century bar, Far Eastern restaurant and takeaway. It reopened at the end of 2013 after being closed for two years. [6] The other pub is the Brewer's Tap. The Royal British Legion was a members-only club, but closed in April 2012. [7]

Lakenheath is remarkable for its medieval church, built about 900 years ago in wood, eventually being rebuilt in the local flint construction style. The church on the exterior has an embattled parapet that has an array of gargoyles and other carved faces at the string course at the base. The interior includes medieval paintings and carvings on the pews. [8] The faces of the church's wooden angels bear the scars of the English Civil War, as none of the angels retained their original facial detail, due to religiously motivated vandalism by puritan soldiers. In early 2009, the church received a large grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and local organisations to restore its rare medieval wall paintings. The wall paintings, depicting local saint St Edmund, angels, and birds amongst other subjects, are believed to date from the 13th century. [9]

As well as the Anglican parish church, Lakenheath has churches representing the Methodist, Strict Baptist and Pentecostal (AOG) denominations. All three of the non-Anglican church buildings are also primarily constructed of local flint, albeit with later modifications in brick.

The recently built pavilion now houses the local cricket club and hosts various events.

Lakenheath also boasts a football club playing at ‘The PIt’ stadium in the village. The club, in 2021 won promotion to the Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division, the highest they have ever been and, won the Suffolk Senior Cup for the second time in their history.

Transportation

Lakenheath railway station, 3 miles (4.8 km) north of the village, sees very little passenger service.

There are regular bus services to the neighbouring towns of Brandon, Mildenhall and Thetford plus buses to Bury St. Edmunds operated on school/college days which are available to the general public.

RAF Lakenheath

An F-15C Eagle of the United States Air Force taxis for takeoff. The LN on the tail means this aircraft is based at RAF Lakenheath. F-15c.eagle.86-0175.taxi.arp.jpg
An F-15C Eagle of the United States Air Force taxis for takeoff. The LN on the tail means this aircraft is based at RAF Lakenheath.

Lakenheath is host to the largest deployment of United States Air Force personnel in the United Kingdom: RAF Lakenheath. The social impact of the United States Air Force fighter airbase and its nearby sister, RAF Mildenhall, on the economy of Lakenheath and on the nearby towns and villages is important. The United States has maintained a presence in the community since bombers were stationed there during WWII conducting raids on Europe. The base has a population of around 6000 service personnel.

Prehistory and archaeology

During the Ice Age, the River Bytham flowed through the area that is now Lakenheath, depositing much of the modern geology found in the area. [10]

Excavation of three early Anglo-Saxon cemeteries at RAF Lakenheath between 1997 and 2002 uncovered a total of 394 inhumation and 17 cremation burials,[ citation needed ] including one 6th-century grave with a horse burial: a man was buried next to a fully armoured horse. [11]

History

During the Peasants' Revolt in 1381, Sir John Cavendish, the Chief Justice of the King's Bench and Chancellor of the University of Cambridge was pursued by rebels and caught and killed in Lakenheath. [12]

The village was struck by an F0/T1 tornado on 23 November 1981, as part of the record-breaking nationwide tornado outbreak on that day. [13]

Climate

Lakenheath has an oceanic climate similar to the rest of the region of East of England. It is therefore warmer and drier than the average climate of the British Isles due to its relative distance to the low-pressure dominated coastal weather systems of the Atlantic.

Climate data for Lakenheath, 1981-2010
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Record high °C (°F)16
(61)		18
(64)		22.8
(73.0)		27
(81)		29
(84)		34
(93)		34
(93)		35
(95)		31.1
(88.0)		29.1
(84.4)		18
(64)		15
(59)		35
(95)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)7.3
(45.1)		8.4
(47.1)		10.9
(51.6)		14.2
(57.6)		17.5
(63.5)		20.5
(68.9)		22.6
(72.7)		22.4
(72.3)		19.6
(67.3)		15.4
(59.7)		10.8
(51.4)		7.0
(44.6)		14.8
(58.6)
Daily mean °C (°F)4.6
(40.3)		5.6
(42.1)		7.1
(44.8)		9.5
(49.1)		12.8
(55.0)		15.8
(60.4)		18.0
(64.4)		17.8
(64.0)		15.2
(59.4)		11.7
(53.1)		7.7
(45.9)		4.3
(39.7)		10.9
(51.6)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)1.8
(35.2)		1.8
(35.2)		3.2
(37.8)		4.8
(40.6)		8.1
(46.6)		11.0
(51.8)		13.5
(56.3)		13.1
(55.6)		10.7
(51.3)		7.9
(46.2)		4.6
(40.3)		1.7
(35.1)		6.9
(44.4)
Record low °C (°F)−15.6
(3.9)		−13.3
(8.1)		−10
(14)		−6.1
(21.0)		−3.3
(26.1)		−1.7
(28.9)		3.3
(37.9)		2.6
(36.7)		0.6
(33.1)		−5
(23)		−8.3
(17.1)		−13.9
(7.0)		−15.6
(3.9)
Average precipitation mm (inches)67.2
(2.65)		65.6
(2.58)		43.5
(1.71)		31.8
(1.25)		40.5
(1.59)		55.5
(2.19)		45.7
(1.80)		58.0
(2.28)		37.8
(1.49)		48.1
(1.89)		56.8
(2.24)		52.1
(2.05)		598.9
(23.58)
Source: Météo Climat [14] [15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suffolk</span> County of England

Suffolk is a ceremonial county in the East of England and East Anglia. It is bordered by Norfolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Essex to the south, and Cambridgeshire to the west. Ipswich is the largest settlement and the county town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woodbridge, Suffolk</span> Port town in Suffolk, England

Woodbridge is a port town and civil parish in the East Suffolk district of Suffolk, England. It is 8 miles (13 km) up the River Deben from the sea. It lies 7 miles (11 km) north-east of Ipswich and around 74 miles north-east of London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honington, Suffolk</span> Village in West Suffolk, England

Honington is a village and civil parish located in Bardwell Ward and Pakenham and Troston Wards of West Suffolk District Council, Suffolk in eastern England It is near to the border with Norfolk. It lies on the River Black Bourn, about 8 miles (13 km) from Bury St Edmunds and 6 miles (10 km) from Thetford, Norfolk. Much of the farmland belongs to the estate of the Duke of Grafton. The village is known for its RAF station, RAF Honington. It is also near two joint RAF/USAF airfields: RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall. Honington was the birthplace of the poet Robert Bloomfield.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forest Heath District</span> Non-metropolitan district in England

Forest Heath was a local government district in Suffolk, England. Its council was based in Mildenhall. Other towns in the district included Newmarket. The population of the district at the 2011 Census was 59,748.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mildenhall, Suffolk</span> Human settlement in England

Mildenhall is a market town and civil parish in Suffolk, England. The town is near the A11 road, and is 37 mi (60 km) north-west of Ipswich, the county town. The large Royal Air Force station, RAF Mildenhall, as well as RAF Lakenheath, are located north of the town. Both are used by the United States Air Force as the headquarters of its 100th Air Refueling Wing and 352nd Special Operations Group. Mildenhall is often seen as the start of The Fens on the south/east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Halesworth</span> Town and civil parish in Suffolk, England

Halesworth is a market town, civil parish and electoral ward in north-eastern Suffolk, England. The population stood at 4,726 in the 2011 Census. It lies 15 miles (24 km) south-west of Lowestoft, on a tributary of the River Blyth, nine miles upstream from Southwold. The town is served by Halesworth railway station on the Ipswich–Lowestoft East Suffolk Line. It is twinned with Bouchain in France and Eitorf in Germany. Nearby villages include Cratfield, Wissett, Chediston, Walpole, Blyford, Linstead Parva, Wenhaston, Thorington, Spexhall, Bramfield, Huntingfield, Cookley and Holton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wicken, Cambridgeshire</span> Village in England

Wicken is a small village on the edge of The Fens near Soham in East Cambridgeshire, ten miles north east of Cambridge and five miles south of Ely. It is the site of Wicken Fen National Nature Reserve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holbeach</span> Market town in Lincolnshire, England

Holbeach is a market town and civil parish in the South Holland District in Lincolnshire, England. The town lies 8 miles (13 km) from Spalding; 17 miles (27 km) from Boston; 20 miles (32 km) from King's Lynn; 23 miles (37 km) from Peterborough; and 43 miles (69 km) by road from Lincoln. It is on the junction of the A151 and A17.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nocton</span> Village and civil parish in the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England

Nocton is a village and civil parish in the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It is situated on the B1202 road, 7 miles (11 km) south-east from Lincoln city centre. The population of the civil parish at the 2011 census was 819. To the east of the village is Nocton Fen with its small settlement of Wasps Nest. To the west of the village, situated at the junction of Wellhead Lane and the B1188 road, is Nocton Top Cottages consisting of eight further dwellings. At the south of the village are the remains of Nocton Hall, and 1 mile (2 km) to the east the earthwork remains of Nocton Park Priory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mendlesham</span> Human settlement in England

Mendlesham is a village in Suffolk with 1,407 inhabitants at the 2011 census. It lies 5 miles (8 km) north east of Stowmarket and 73.135 miles (117.699 km) from London.

Sapiston is a small village and civil parish in the West Suffolk district of Suffolk in eastern England, located near the Suffolk-Norfolk border. It is in northern Suffolk lying on the river Blackbourn. The place-name 'Sapiston' is first attested in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as Sapestuna. The name is thought to mean 'village of soapmakers', but this is not certain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Long Melford</span> Village in Suffolk, England

Long Melford, colloquially and historically also referred to as Melford, is a large village and civil parish in the Babergh district, in the county of Suffolk, England. It is on Suffolk's border with Essex, which is marked by the River Stour, 3 miles (4.8 km) from Sudbury, approximately 16 miles (26 km) from Colchester and 14 miles (23 km) from Bury St Edmunds. It is one of Suffolk's "wool towns" and is a former market town. The parish also includes the hamlets of Bridge Street and Cuckoo Tye.

Beck Row, Holywell Row and Kenny Hill is a civil parish in the Forest Heath district of Suffolk, England. According to the 2001 census, it had a population of 4,048. The parish covers an area to the north of Mildenhall, including Beck Row, Holywell Row and Kenny Hill. The American military base at RAF Mildenhall is one of the main employers of this parish and is located in Beck Row, with farming and agriculture coming in second. Beck Row has an old Methodist Church where many of the locals are buried. The area around the parish includes heavily forested and heavily cultivated land. It is located in the famous fertile farming area of England; The Fens. A popular pub in the town of Beck Row is The Bird in Hand. There is also a Londis grocery store, beauty shop, Kebab restaurant, and a pet store.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brandon, Suffolk</span> Human settlement in England

Brandon is a town and civil parish in the English county of Suffolk. Brandon is located in the Breckland area of Suffolk in the extreme north-west of the county, close to the adjoining county of Norfolk. It lies between the towns of Bury St Edmunds, Thetford, Mildenhall, Downham Market and the city of Ely. It lies next to Thetford Forest Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dedham, Essex</span> Human settlement in England

Dedham is a village in the City of Colchester district of Essex, England. It is near the River Stour, which is the border of Essex and Suffolk. The nearest town to Dedham is the small market town of Manningtree.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Icklingham</span> Human settlement in England

Icklingham is a village and civil parish in the West Suffolk district of Suffolk in eastern England. It is located about 7 miles (11 km) north-west of Bury St Edmunds, 4 miles (6.4 km) south-east of Mildenhall and 9 miles (14 km) south-west of Thetford in Norfolk. The village is on the A1101 road between Bury St Edmunds and Mildenhall in the north-west of the county. The area around the village, characterised by a sandy gravel-laden soil, is known as Breckland, though an arm of the fen-like peat follows the River Lark past the village.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Cove</span> Human settlement in England

North Cove is a village and civil parish in the north of the English county of Suffolk. It is part of the East Suffolk district, located around 3 miles (4.8 km) east of Beccles and 5 miles (8.0 km) west of Lowestoft. It merges with the village of Barnby and the villages share some resources, although the two parishes retain separate parish councils.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Row</span> Human settlement in England

West Row is a small village and civil parish in the English county of Suffolk. It is generally considered the edge of The Fens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wangford, West Suffolk</span> Human settlement in England

Wangford is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Brandon, in the West Suffolk district of the English county of Suffolk. The RAF Lakenheath airbase is west of the former parish area with the main runway extending into it. Wangford is located around 2 miles (3.2 km) east of Lakenheath and 3 miles (4.8 km) south-west of Brandon, close to the A1065 road. In 2001 the parish had a population of 7.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St James South Elmham</span> Human settlement in England

St James South Elmham is a village and civil parish in the north of the English county of Suffolk. It is 4.5 miles (7.2 km) north-west of the market town of Halesworth and 5.5 miles (8.9 km) south-west of Bungay in the East Suffolk district. It is one of the parishes around Bungay known as the Saints.

References

  1. ↑ "Civil Parish population 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  2. ↑ BBC News 17 May 2007
  3. ↑ Our School Archived 29 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ↑ Shops visitlakenheath.co.uk [ dead link ]
  5. ↑ "Lakenheath Library | Suffolk Libraries". suffolklibraries.co.uk. Archived from the original on 29 March 2014.
  6. ↑ Suffolk Camra
  7. ↑ Lakenheath club closes its doors
  8. ↑ Lakenheath
  9. ↑ BBC News 6 January 2009
  10. ↑ "The Shotton Project". Archived from the original on 24 September 2008. Retrieved 18 October 2009.
  11. ↑ Jupp, Peter C.; Gittings, Clare (1999). Death in England: An Illustrated History. Manchester UP. p. 72. ISBN   9780719058110 . Retrieved 26 June 2012.
  12. ↑ Dunn, Alastair (14 February 2024). The Great Rising of 1381: the Peasants' Revolt and England's Failed Revolution. Stroud, UK: Tempus. pp. 124–125. ISBN   9780752423234.
  13. ↑ "European Severe Weather Database".
  14. ↑ "Météo climat stats for Lakenheath 1981-2010". Météo Climat. March 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  15. ↑ "Météo climat stats Lakenheath records". Météo Climat. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
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.